Terry Wills listens to some seasonal cheer.

Christmas with the Rat Pack
New Alexandra Theatre

With Christmas looming ever closer in a distinctly chilly Birmingham, it was surely a night to stay indoors, switching on the telly and settling down to hopefully enjoy whatever took one’s fancy – unless an alternative night’s entertainment could be found.

No problem. What could be better than transferring the legendary Rat Pack – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis in their Christmas show, transported from the Las Vegas Sands Hotel to the New Alexandra Theatre for a two hour nostalgic memory trip? Accompanied by a twelve-piece orchestra and three talented singer/dancers, the trio reprised the full range of hits that devotees know so well.

Tam Ward (Ol’ Blue Eyes) opened the show with a montage of hit numbers that instantly had the audience clamouring for more.

Enter Deano (Phil Barly) complete with obligatory glass of the hard stuff, a theme that continued whenever he appeared. Indeed, when a waiter wheeled a trolley on to the stage and the cover was removed, much to the amusement of the audience it was stacked with a multitude of bottles.

A change of pace as Sammy Davis (Jay Marsh) strolled on stage, waxing lyrical, before demonstrating a range of tap dancing skills that were virtually identical to the multi-talented entertainer.

Together with the Burrell Sisters, the trio sang and danced to a variety of numbers backed by the creative orchestra. Interspersed between the classics were those depicting the Christmas theme. Jingle Bells, Silent Night, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and the rest, all topped by the statutory White Christmas and Auld Lang Syne.

The end of the show saw the rapt audience giving a standing ovation before putting on coats and venturing out to enjoy weather very different from sunny Las Vegas. Should the Rat Pack return to the Alex in 2015, my simple message is – miss them at your peril.