THE RAT PACK FOR THE STAIRLIFT GENERATION… SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 14.23PM

Nicholas Parsons and Giles Brandreth - ‘Live’ on Stage

Well, that’s how it felt. Sure, Frank, Dean and Sammy were missing but what wasn’t was the ‘buzz’: in fact, if some in the audience had felt compelled to throw underwear and hastily scribbled telephone numbers up onto the stage it wouldn’t have appeared incongruous. Hell, I might even have joined in such was the sizzzle of their presence.
Boasting all the lost world charisma of 1920 barnstorming pilots, these two battle-scarred warriors of Light Entertainment unleashed a veritable offensive of derring-do style and pep. And damn if it wasn’t IMPOSSIBLE to be smitten by it.
Indeed, even their introductions were as sharp and slick as a barber’s blade on a strop, the collateral an audience of all ages (but yes, mainly that ‘age’ whose name dare not be spoken) in stitches.
It’s worth remembering then that Parsons is in his 90s and Brandreth, well, closing in give or take a generation. But age in this context had no meaning. Wit is, after all, timeless and always in fashion.
There’s not much more I can add, other than Brandreth’s surreal attempt to describe Ann Widdecombe as a cross “between Danny De Vito and Margaret Rutherford”.
Joyous!