Who: Clinton Philander, Kyle Grant, James Dobson, Sean Butler and Adrian Beecham
Where: Barnyard Theatre, Gateway
When: Until May 27
Rating: ****
"It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday," sang James Dobson, aptly, in his rendition of Billy Joel's Piano Man for the production Tonight's The Night.
Dobson, along with four other vocalists, impressed the crowd by swooning through a selection of the greatest male voices of all time in another Barnyard tribute show.
The show included covers of tunes from Frank Sinatra to Robbie Williams, and so was suited to a range of ages. Clinton Philander, who scripted and directed the show with Duck Chowles, acted as host and, though he got carried away with some of the jokes, he ensured the show's energy never waned.
He was joined by up-and-coming vocalist Kyle Grant who, despite being the youngest on stage, really nailed the smooth sophistication of Sinatra classics like Miss Jones and New York, New York.
Grant has the voice, stage presence and dimples that make for a naturally charismatic performer and he definitely held his own in the limelight.
Bringing a rock edge to the show with his guitar-playing and raspy vocals was Adrian Beecham with versions of Bad Day, You Got It and a powerful guitar solo that ripped the seams out of Purple Rain.
The two musical directors, Dobson and Sean Butler led the show from behind their pianos. Butler gave a heart-felt performance of Phil Collins's Against All Odds and looked to be enjoying himself as much as the audience.
But the performance was really stolen by Dobson's clear and potent voice. He made it look far too easy to switch between Elton John and Mick Jagger.
Dobson has a controlled and understated performing style that allows his vocal talents to dominate, which is exactly what is needed for this kind of showcase.
Tonight's the Night was a smooth and professional show that lived up to its name. Coupled with the staple great service and chummy atmosphere of the Barnyard, it made for a good night out.