Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show

Show Review

Vegas flashback

Staff Report

Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show takes audiences back to 1960s when Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop, known as the Rat Pack, ruled the Las Vegas Strip. Produced by Buddy Hackett's son, Sandy, the show features stories about the iconic performers.

A successful actor and comedian Buddy Hackett first met Sinatra when the blue-eyed crooner asked Buddy if he would be his opening act. Buddy refused but became a lifelong friend of Sinatra and the rest of the Rat Pack. He was a guest on Joey Bishop's show and "The Dean Martin Show." The late Buddy Hackett's voice is also a part of this show.

Before Sandy Hackkett's Rat Pack Show starts, nostalgic photos of the real Rat Pack performers are displayed on a large screen on stage. The men are pictured performing, laughing and partying, reminding everyone of not only their talent, but the memorable personalities that made the Rat Pack such endearing entertainers.

The voice of God, played by the late Hackett, fills the showroom. He reminisces about the good old days of the Rat Pack and says that things haven't been the same since the guys left Vegas.

"I'm sending you fellas back to do one last show," says Hackett.

The screen rises, revealing a live orchestra and four men portraying the Rat Pack. Wearing matching black tuxedos, the four men perform a few songs including "My Kind of Town" while people in the audience clap and sing along. Then Joey takes center stage to tell some jokes, and it's not long before the showroom is filled with laughter.

Next, Dean enters with a whiskey drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other to sing "Drink to me Only with Thine Eyes" and "That's Amore." He breaks between songs for some jokes with the crowd.

"I'm on the whiskey diet," says Dean, "in one week I lost four days."

Sammy is the next to perform. He starts the band off by doing a tap routine and asking them to follow his lead. He breaks into "That Old Black Magic," dancing on stage and into the audience for some interaction with the crowd. Later in the song, he makes his way back on stage and to the drum set where he seamlessly transitions from dancing to doing a drum solo, portraying all of the pizzazz of the real performer.

The guys in the Rat Pack were known for their camaraderie and playful ribbing and these performers are no exception.

Frank, who the other guys jokingly refer to as "The Chairman," enters the stage to sing "Get Me to the Church on Time," but it's not long before one of the other characters interrupts.

This time it's Sammy wearing a black Lone Ranger outfit. Comedy ensues as Dean enters dressed as what he explains to be Tonto, the Lone Ranger's faithful sidekick. While this routine refers to a character that was popular in the '50s, many of the jokes incorporate current events, making this show an interpretation of what it would be like to watch the Rat Pack perform if they were still together today.

Frank finally gets the stage to himself to sing "My Way," before being joined by the guys to sing "New York, New York" and other classic hits.

These performers act, sing, dance and remind everyone that the Rat Pack still is one of the hottest acts in town.