The lively show of comedy and songs of Gracie Fields is well named. Amazing Gracie. This is truly an amazing production of top quality performance.

Three Island artists, Pamela Campbell, Nancy Beck and Andrew Zinck, present an hilarious evening of superb singing, exuberant acting and dazzling piano accompaniment. I haven't laughed so much in ages. The energy in the hall was electric and it was obvious that the audience was having a great time.

The show offers a mix of funny, playful and soulful songs from the repertoire of one of show business' best loved performers, Gracie Fields. Each song is acted and costumed to create a delightful evening of laughter and artful entertainment. The props are colourful and imaginative, and create a wonderful atmosphere, bringing the audience right into the mood of the moment.

Campbell is a well-known and much appreciated singer, actor, composer, recording artist, music and theatre director, voice therapist, and teacher. In Amazing Gracie, Campbell displays her musicianship and versatility as a singer-actor. She has the ability to be outrageously funny in one scene, and in the next, to bring her audience to tears with her depth of emotion and lyrical singing. Her diction is flawless, and her voice is rich and warm.

In Amazing Gracie, Beck is a natural clown who can sing with the best of them. She has worked across the country in theatre, music, publishing, broadcasting, and film, and is a lyricist, playwright and director. From her first appearance at the beginning of the show, Beck has the audience in the palm of her hand.

Every live musical needs a versatile accompanist, and Amazing Gracie has just that in the person of Zinck at the piano. At the opening of the show we know he is a man with a mission as he heads for the piano, striding across the stage, wearing his felt hat, and smiling from ear to ear. As soon as Zinck begins to play it is obvious that this is no average pianist. He captures the style and mood of every piece, and delights the audience with a variety of musical interjections supporting the action on stage. Zinck plays with clarity and feeling, and it is plain that he loves what he does.

It is rare to find such sensitive singing, acting and playing combined with such humour and fun. What a gift to have these three professionals living in our midst and offering us a glimpse of their many talents. Amazing Gracie is a well choreographed professional piece where actors and pianist work as a joyful, energetic unit. It will have young and old humming and laughing all the way home.

Amazing Gracie plays until Aug 30 at the Arts Guild in Charlottetown. Curtain time is 8 p.m.