Sinatra: Theatre review

‘The records show

I took the blows 

 and did it my way’

Many artists, from Elvis to Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols have covered this song written by Paul Anka but it remains the signature tune of Francis Albert Sinatra as does the jaunty New York, New York.

Start spreading the news, a new play about Frank Sinatra is on in the West End and it’s a must see for anyone who loves old Hollywood, the big band/swing era, a great voice and memorable tunes. 

Sinatra is a bio musical of a legendary entertainer who very much did it his way. Frank Sinatra certainly had a life worthy of a play. An Italian American from Hoboken, New Jersey (where his name can still be found everywhere), he was dogged his entire career by stories of involvement with the mafia, married the incomparably beautiful Hollywood goddess Ava Gardner and had a string of other famous girlfriends and wives, won an Oscar as best supporting Actor and had more ups and downs in his career than a Coney Island rollercoaster. And towering above it all was that incredible voice and a string of unforgettable hit songs. But the problem with that kind of intense, full life is always how much of it can be captured within a couple of hours.

I saw Sinatra, on its opening night at the Aldwych Theatre where it has taken up residency following a hugely successful run by Tina, the Tina Turner story. 

Of course Sinatra is a musical but it has a core of drama which was a little unexpected but works well. The play largely centres around Sinatra’s first marriage to Nancy, the woman who encouraged him to pursue his ambitions and then had to step aside when she saw where his success was leading him – away from her and their children to the glamorous temptations of Hollywood.

There’s a lot of life to into around the marriage and so we get a surface level exploration of it rather than an in-depth look. It’s like a condensed Wikipedia highlights of his life and career rather than a detailed version of it and much is left out. 

Perhaps in a bid to humanise an icon, the focus is, often, on the low points of his career rather than the big successes. This works well to an extent but it creates a somewhat uneven resume of a great career. You never really get the full effect of his impact and his status in the industry. Importantly, therefore you don’t get a full sense of his legendary grit and doggy determination to fight the odds and come out on top, which he did, time and time again.

You also don’t get the full sense of how tumultuous his affair and marriage to Ava Gardner actually was. There is also no Rat Pack era in the play.

Joel Harper-Jackson shines as Sinatra, his vocals very much on point and the 17 piece live band is superb. 

Overall Sinatra is a solid rather than spectacular introduction to one of the greatest musical artists ever. However, for both fans and those who know little about the man, it’s an enjoyable crowd pleaser.