Paul-Haydens Big Night Out show!
Well to put it another way it was an Amazing Night Out! The Show oozed talent. Frank Carson was unstoppable, Cannon and Ball with a fabulous variety of stars and celebrities proved throughout the evening that this show was Variety at its best!
The Big Knight Variety Show was a Production in aid of the Tom Finney Alzheimer’s appeal.
This awesome show held in the Preston Guild Hall Theatre on Sunday 23rd November 08; was of epic proportion. It was hosted by comedian Tony Jo while each act owned the stage and kept the audience captive from start to finish.
Royal Favourite Frank Carson is an incredible performer, even back stage he is absolutely hilarious and has everyone in stitches with his fast succession of one liners. Like Brucey, Frank is an institution within this industry.
Ti Amero were spot on as this first class classical pop and operatic quartet sang Nessun Dorma and Volare. Charming vocalists Lee, Ric, Leroy and Martin gave lifting performances with a nice pinch of Mario Lanser, Deano and Bocelli.
There was something for everyone proving live variety for the price of a DVD is far better and memorable than staying home to watch television every night!
Having driven up from London for the Big Knight Show meeting up with the boys, The British Rat Pack were at Preston’s prestige Guild Hall Theatre in Lancashire.
Our sound check came up bang on schedule. The British Rat Pack took the stage. Ran through top and tail of each number. The guys were brilliant and the sound achieved in this two thousand seat theatre was incredible.
The VIPS had arrived, the doors opened on cue; It’s Show Time…
Back stage Frank Carson came over to me with a big smile crying “I’m too political”? Then offered up a cracking one liner that is a bit to cheeky to print. The Cheeky Monkeys from Britain’s Got Talent; Chloe Walker a talented fifteen year old bluesy singer and winner of Talented Youngster of the year award 2008.
Unfortunately back stage you can’t see the show going on out front so I didn’t get a chance to see all the acts perform. However when the coast was clear I did catch a glimpse of Tony Jo warming the full house at the beginning. I also saw and heard some acts in the pre run.
Met David Jarrod who had just finished recording his new album in the States. Rob McVeigh from BBC’s search for Joseph with Andrew Lloyd Webber and the television production team of Any Dream Will Do. Nice to meet up again with Steve Baylis, We’ve come a long way since London Olympia!
I met Bobby Ball from the comedy duo Cannon and Ball, ee za nice guy! There’s something very warm about him that reminds me of kin and when performing you’ve just got to laugh and smile.
Stage Call! Right we’re up!
Standing side stage I was fired up and almost sweating adrenalin while Tony Jo was on stage giving the audience a run for the money in his big build up for “The British Rat Pack” in which The All Star Orchestra kicked in with the Bass Guitar and Mack The Knife as I eagerly fired off of the blocks onto that stage…
Wow was that a kick and a half. It was Brilliant! The whole Show was pure magic. Mack the Knife, That’s Life and Ain’t that a kick that gave the audience and us British Rat Pack guys and orchestra a climatic euphoric roller coaster ride that ended with an eruption of applause. I enjoyed every single second of it! The Stage is a magical place!
The last act to perform was television comedy duo Cannon and Ball who took to the stage. The whole production was fit for Saturday prime time TV viewing.
The All Star Orchestra kicked in for The British Rat Pack to perform a finale version of “New York New York”. A gathering of the evening’s entertainers took the stage for the final bow.
I found myself last man exiting the stage singing with the big band at the end of New York closing a truly spectacular event.
For the after show party. Everyone met up for a chat, refreshments and photos in the large theatre bar. It was nice to meet Blackpool’s Mayor as we had already met at the Royal British Legion Poppy launch a few weeks back. It was good to catch up with some friends and observe the production network that delivered “A Great Night Out”!
This was a Very Successful Spectacular; A fund raiser that had a great deal of time, work and effort put into it by the organisers in aid of The Tom Finney Day Committee.
(A Backstage Artical by Paul-Hayden for the British Rat Pack News Site).