I'm planning on going to see 'The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas' at the Haymarket Theatre Royal in the next couple of weeks. It's the musical that recreates a night at the infamous Sands Hotel in Vegas when the Rat Pack - aka The Clan - reigned supremo back in the late 50s and early 60s. | "Can you imagine being a fly-on-the-wall while these five sharp-suited, cool cats were at work and play and generally making whoopee...?" |
I've always had a thing about Frankie, Dino and Sammy, stretching all the way back to my youth. And I put THAT down to the influence of my Dad who used to regularly play and sing along - alarmingly - to their records with mucho gusto.
It's also a period that I find fascinating. Especially the time when the boys, including British actor Peter Lawford and comedian Joey Bishop, were making the heist movie 'Oceans Eleven' by day and performing in concert at the Sands by night.
Can you imagine being a fly-on-the-wall on the movie set, the stage, or in the suites of their hotels while these five sharp-suited, cool cats were at work and play and generally making whoopee? Politicians, film stars, gangsters, Joe Public et al trying to crash the party that swung like no other before or since. Sounds like heaven to me, pally! impressive
Back at Crowley HQ, I'm getting myself in the mood for the show by playing on heavy rotation 'Eee-0-Eleven: The Best Of The Rat Pack' (Capitol), an impressive CD collection that brings together some of Frank, Dino and Sammy's most popular songs. And what songs! Highlights among many are 'Ain't That A Kick In The Head', 'Me And My Shadow', 'When You' re Smiling' and the title track from the original Ocean's Eleven movie, 'Eee-0-Eleven'.
Regarding the show itself, I hear the guys impersonating the Rat Packers do a great job and the 15-piece band swing magnificently. But I've decided to emulate a chum who once went to see the musical 'Beatlemania' in New York, back in the late 70s. Even though they had top-dollar seats, to get the maximum effect, he and his brother moved to the back of the stalls, squinted their eyes a little and asked their imaginations to do the rest. Sounds like good advice to me...
 listen: hear Frank Sinatra with 'Night and Day' from the album 'Sings the Select Cole Porter'
click here(Real Player required)
listen: hear Dean Martin with 'That's Amore' from the album 'The Best of the Capitol Years'
click here
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music out this week: choice cuts
his lordship's interview vault
useful links
the rat pack: info & photos
dean martin fan center
international sinatra society
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