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Rat Pack Pulls Forward Savoy Closing Date, 12 Aug

The Rat Pack has brought forward its closing date at the West End’s Savoy Theatre by six weeks. The musical celebrating the work of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin, featuring look and sound-alikes of the three crooners, had confirmed its closing date at the West End’s Savoy Theatre for 23 September 2006 (See News, 13 Jul 2006), but it will now finish on 12 August 2006.

The tribute show - which makes way for Trevor Nunn’s staging of the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess opening on 9 November (following previews from 25 October, see News, 30 Jun 2006) - is still looking for a new home in the West End.

Producer Derek Nicol said today: "We’ve had a fantastic run and are looking forward to the future with The Rat Pack. We have decided, however, to leave the Savoy in August for two reasons. One is to allow us more time to prepare the new version of the show and the other is quite simply the weather.

"There is no doubt that the tremendous heat has affected business right across the West End, keeping people outdoors in the evenings and, since we had to leave anyway, sooner rather than later makes sense on every level. As soon as we find the right location in London, we plan to bring a new revised Rat Pack back."

After touring the UK extensively since 2000, previously visiting London for one-off dates at the London Palladium and a limited run at Sadler's Wells Peacock Theatre, The Rat Pack opened for what was meant to be a limited West End season at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in March 2003. After extending at the Haymarket, the show moved in June of that year to the Strand Theatre (now renamed the Novello), where it again extended repeatedly. It then moved to the Savoy on 3 June 2005.

Hits made famous by Sinatra, Davis and Martin and performed in the show include "I've Got You Under My Skin", "That's Amore", "That Old Black Magic" and "My Way" to the accompaniment of a live 15-piece Big Band and a full supporting cast.

- by Caroline Ansdell

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