MEMORIES OF THE RAT PACK

PortStanleyNews.com Review

Being before my time, I was never a fan of Frank Sinatra or the whole Rat Pack genre - until now!

This live musical tribute show to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., created by Chris McHarge and Colin Stewart, was a lot of fun - because of the exceptional talent of all of the performers on stage who brought the music and the era back to life as if it were here and now!

Dean Hollin who starred as Frank Sinatra has a rich and powerful deep bass voice that at times put the original sound of Sinatra's voice to shame. There was never a question as to whether he could hit the note or hold the note. Equally strong was the melodious tenor voice of Aaron Solomon as Dean Martin. From time to time, if you looked away while he was singing and concentrated just on the sound, his voice often sounded very close to that of Dean Martin.

The softer alto voice of Shane Philips as Sammy Davis Jr. was a pleasure to listen to, and to the total delight of the audience, Shane could dance, jump and kick as high as the original and he had all of Sammy Davis Jr.'s moves.

The musicians of "the best back-up band we could afford," said Sinatra, were outstanding. The piano player's fingers tinkled, pounded, raced and flowed over the ivory and ebony keys like they were an extension of himself. You could tell just by the way he sat behind his drum set, even before you heard the easy perfect rhythm that never missed a beat and changed tempo effortlessly, that the drummer was fully in his element. Unfortunately, the credits don't list their names, but Colin Stewart was equally brilliant on the string bass.

But it wasn't just the songs or the singing or the great music that made the evening so much fun - it was the total performance. True to The Rat Pack theme, the shenanigans on stage were hilarious. If the original Rat Pack were anywhere near as entertaining on stage as this performance on this night, then it's no wonder they gained such widespread popularity.

If you're looking to be thoroughly entertained, this show is a 'must see'. The audience gave them a double standing ovation and we give it a three thumbs up!

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