Last night we spent our “Friday the 13th”
doing a time travel that took us back to 1944 in New York City’s iconic Savoy
Ballroom, to celebrate the music and performers of the swing era. This was the year of my birth, and I grew up
listening to this music with my parents taking me to musicals that featured
this music. If you are younger, you owe
it to yourself to check out this great show, so you can see how much fun and
entertainment this generation had with its music, especially during the dark
time of the Second World War.
The show features the musical sounds of Victoria’s
own Heather Burns, her group “Dock Side Drive”, and radio personality Barry
Bowman. Heather created the show and
Barry Bowman plays the broadcaster.
Barry ushers the audience into a live radio broadcast complete with
signs telling us when we are on air and when to applaud. The show highlights the music of the masters
of that era with the swinging sounds of Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Ray
Charles, Frank Sinatra, the Andrew Sisters, Irving Berlin, Nat King Cole and
more.
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Our evening started with a
pre-dinner reception with wine and cheese, and we were greeted by Hotel Manager
Michelle Lesage, along with other staff members. It was like walking into a friend’s home. The following dinner was sensational and
included a Prawn Cocktail with herb greens, cocktail sauce and popcorn garnish. The main course consisted of Herb Crusted
Beef Tenderloin, with seasonal vegetables and a red wine truffle sauce. The meat was deliciously tender.
For dessert we were served a Deconstructed Black Forest Cake. The meal was presented in the elegant and intimate
David Foster Foundation Theatre, where everyone has a great view of the stage. Kudos go to Executive Chef Iain Rennie for
this exceptional meal. The staffers were
extremely attentive and we were asked several times if we had any dietary
concerns. The service was top notch and
friendly.
Congenial President and Owner Kevin Walker MC'ed the opening night production
and made everyone feel right at home. He
has a penchant for doing things well which is reflected in the new hotel and
all the special services they offer. After
the theatre, we were ushered into the lobby for an Oak Bay Beach Hotel
tradition, hot chocolate and sweets. The
show was fun, entertaining and full of amazing talent. It definitely set a standard of quality for
future Dinner Theatre shows. Everyone we
talked to really enjoyed the night. We
certainly urge anyone who reads this review to make an effort to attend. This show runs every Friday and Saturday
until October 26. Every two months
there is a new show. They also offer a
season ticket option for all 4 shows. To
reserve your seats phone 250.598.4556.
The Oak Bay Beach Hotel is a resort at 1175
Beach Drive, in Victoria BC. It is an
attraction unto itself. You can stay in
luxury in the hotel, enjoy fine dining in their Dining Room, take in the Dinner
Theatre, or enjoy their movie night, pop by for a morning coffee and pastry in
Kate’s Café, pour back a pint in the Snug Pub (a local favourite), get a Spa
Treatment or relax in the seaside Baths and maybe see an Orca whale jump right
out of the water just off shore. This
can only happen at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.