A SWINGING AFFAIR AT THE FORTUNE

OTAGO DAILY TIMES REVIEW

The Rat Pack Returns Live
Reviewed by Clarke Isaacs – Tuesday September 11, 2007

The ultimate party boys came to town at the Fortune theatre on Tuesday night with the staging of The Rat Pack Returns Live.

Like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Junior before them. The trio of Douglas Kamo, James Murray and Kris Bate, backed by an eight-piece jazz band (piano included), raised the roof and had the audience eating out of their hands.

It was Lauren Bacall, cruelly rejected by Sinatra after the death of her husband, Humphrey Bogart, who bestowed the name Rat Pack upon the first Holby Hills group of dissolutes when, to be a member, she said: “One had to be addicted to non-conformity, staying up late, drinking, laughing, and not caring what anyone thought or said about us”. She conveniently forgot to mention womanising.

Modelling their cabaret-style act upon the horsing around of Ol’ Blue Eyes and his two partners in the 1960s Rat Pack at the Sands Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, the energetic three-some expended vast amounts of energy as they delivered up many of the vocal offerings which found favour with the Sands’ patrons. Possessed of the redoubtable vigour and athleticism of fit young men, and proudly sporting the requisite tuxedos, Kamo, Murray and Bate moved about the stage with impressive agility a they sang and cracked jokes.

Simulated drinking of hard liquor, of course was sine qua non.

Audience participation played a big part in the night’s entertainment: a few woman shanghaied from the patrons subjected themselves to the tender attention of the “rat pack” on stage.

That’s Amore had everyone swaying in their seats to the beat of the music. There theatre was really rocking as the trio hit their straps, and the audience was reluctant to let them sign off.

Director of The Rat Pack Returns Live is Kamo, and Stuart Walker (on piano) is the musical director. The show runs until Sunday.