Review: Sinatra: The Musical (Aldwych Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There has been a growing pattern recently of big West End musicals opting for a premiere in another city ahead of their eventual London transfer. It's something that has been common practice in America for a while now, with out-of-town tryouts utilised before a Broadway run. Recent examples in the UK have included &Juliet, Back To The Future, and Mrs Doubtfire in Manchester and The Devil Wears Prada in Plymouth. One show that has had to wait longer than most for its London run is Sinatra. Premiering in Birmingham in 2023, it has taken three years to make its way to the capital, but when its subject is one of the most iconic singers of all time, taking the time to ensure a show lives up to his legacy becomes all the more crucial. I could see the show had potential when I caught it in Birmingham, but I also noted it needed to make some changes to get there. Nevertheless, I was confident that the best was yet to come for Sinatra, so would this long-awaited transfer manage to improve on its debut outing and fly me to the moon?

If the title didn't give it away, Sinatra: The Musical tells the story of one of the most legendary singers of all time, Frank Sinatra. Instead of attempting to cram in his entire life story, the show takes a chunk from the middle of it, focusing on Frank's struggles as his success starts to dwindle, leading to an almighty comeback. It's a part of his career that many won't be as familiar with, as history makes it easy to paint him as a huge star for the entirety of his life. But there was a time when he couldn't get a hit, resulting in his label losing interest and Frank playing to smaller audiences. It isn't all work, of course, with Frank's family life given as much importance as his career, namely his womanising and relationships with his first two wives, Nancy and Ava.

Joe DiPietro's book is certainly interesting. Though it is only telling part of Frank's story, it has a lot to cram in, and the writing occasionally suffers as a result. This is far more noticeable in Act One, where too much is thrown at the audience in quick succession, opting for a series of headlines that barely scratch the surface. The dialogue similarly doesn't always land, coming across clunky and unnatural at times, particularly when introducing a new character with an essential Wikipedia one-liner.

Act Two is a different beast altogether. To tell the truth, I was so firmly on three stars at the interval, I didn't think there was much chance of the show ending on any other rating. I love being proved wrong, and Act Two easily did that. If the first suffered from being too uneven and could use some tightening, Act Two is in much better shape. Benefiting from the seeds planted earlier, it is a frantic race to the finish as Frank does all he can to be back on top (in June, no less). In some ways, Sinatra feels like two different shows stitched together, but the issues that threaten to derail the first act are notably absent in the second, leading to a thankfully more cohesive and enjoyable watch.

With Frank Sinatra's daughter Tina involved in the production, it would be easy to offer a sanitised version of his story. Instead, the musical doesn't shy away from some of the lesser aspects of Frank's personality, such as his cheating and his aggressive and even manipulative behaviour. The picture painted left the person next to me in the interval commenting what an unlikeable man he was, which, of course, is open for interpretation. Certain aspects of his story are merely alluded to, with a couple of throwaway references to Frank's supposed ties to the mob. There is an argument that more could have been revealed, but with time limitations, the production does well to cram in as much as they do.

I'm not sure how many critics reviewing this production also saw it in Birmingham three years ago. While I always try to take each production on face value and avoid comparing, it would be dishonest to say I didn't think back to its last UK outing at times, and that may be partly responsible for why this review is so overwhelmingly positive. The book is in much better shape than it was. One notable failure with the 2023 outing was the way it disregarded one of Frank's most iconic songs, ‘My Way’, excluding it from the show with a dig about how Frank hated the song. My frustration then was that people too close to him had lost sight of what an audience wants from a Frank Sinatra musical. That wrong has been well and truly righted with this remarkably improved book, with the inclusion of ‘My Way’ adding something special to the show.

Not every element from Birmingham has been improved, sadly. One of the biggest perplexities last time was the design choices, and they don't seem to have been improved in the same way the book has. There's a sense of style and sophistication you would associate with Frank Sinatra, and this production doesn't match that. A glamorous and opulent set was needed, but the one we got doesn't feel right for the show or indeed strong enough for a West End stage. If this were a smaller off-West End venue, it would be understandable, but this is the Aldwych Theatre, and it really fell short in some places. The video design lets it down most, with a strange cartoon aesthetic that feels completely at odds with the story and cheapens the feel of it. I found this a strange design choice in the initial Birmingham run and was pretty surprised to see it hadn't been improved for the West End transfer, though maybe I'm in the minority with my feelings on it?

There is always the issue of how much weight you give each element when deciding a star rating for a review. While the design leaves a lot to be desired, it is a testament to the other elements at play here that lessen the impact of the weaker aspects. A key contributor to that is Kathleen Marshall, whose direction finds creative and playful ways to move the narrative along, sometimes at a rapid pace, even if the choices don't always mesh with other elements as seamlessly as they should. It is Marshall's choreography that makes Sinatra truly shine, leading to some spectacular sequences that bring the sense of grandeur to the performance I had been longing for, and leading to some absolute showstoppers.

Of course, the main attraction to any musical about Frank Sinatra is going to be his music. With plenty to choose from his prolific discography, not everything is going to make the cut, and some may be disappointed by the omissions. What we do get, however, are classics including ‘I've Got The World On A String’, ‘That's Life’ and ‘New York, New York’. There is often a sense with jukebox musicals that these songs can be shoehorned in, and that certainly isn't being hidden in this production. Links to the numbers are tenuous at best, with some questionable choices, such as Frank serenading his young child with love songs. To be frank (ahem), this is where Sinatra is at its weakest. It almost feels like the creative team brainstormed how to insert songs naturally and then decided it wasn't important, so hammered them in with no regard for how appropriate, necessary or jarring each inclusion was. Unexpectedly, I didn't actually mind as much as I usually would, which is a testament to the strongest elements of this production. Sinatra has been designed with the intent of pleasing an audience, and the charm of that helps to gloss over some of the cracks found in its weaker elements.

Speaking of strengths, the biggest Sinatra has going for it is its cast. Two leading ladies from the Birmingham run return this time in the form of Phoebe Panaretos as Nancy Sinatra and Ana Villafañe as Ava Gardner. Both are utterly sublime in their roles, delivering on all fronts, be it their acting, vocals and overall stage presence. It may be Frank's name on the marquee, but these women prove every bit as important, becoming the catalyst for the narrative and forming the heart of the story. Panaretos beautifully displays the sensitive side of Sinatra’s marriage, but it is her vocal ability that truly wows, with her gorgeous tone used to fantastic effect on standout numbers ‘Come Rain Or Come Shine’ and ‘In The Wee Small Hours’. Villafañe oozes star quality as Ava Gardner, lighting up the stage with every appearance and ensuring the audience falls in love with her every bit as much as ol’ blue eyes did. Having thrilled audiences on Broadway, it is wonderful for the West End to finally get a turn to experience her magnificent talents in one of the strongest performances of the production. When the two ladies join forces with Frank for a particularly thrilling sequence, the result is pure theatre magic.

The always wonderful Jenna Russell is at her scene-stealing best as Frank’s mother, Dolly. Though her stage time is comparatively limited and there is a feeling that she is too underused, Russell managed to make her presence felt with every appearance, no matter how fleeting – best demonstrated with a phone call on stage that may be short but lingers in the memory long after. It’s a shame Russell doesn’t get a big musical moment herself, though we did get a taste of her vocal talents, at least. With Marty Maguire, they form a strong double act that provides some of the more refreshingly funny moments in the show. Elsewhere, Lee Zarrett delivers a strong performance as George Evans, with Adam Davidson, Jenna Innes, and Becky Anderson all getting standout moments stepping into the shoes of some iconic performers

There is one man I haven’t mentioned yet, and it really is a case of saving the best for last. How do you fill the impossibly high shoes of Frank Sinatra? Fairly easily, it turns out, though I’m sure there is nothing easy about Joel Harper-Jackson’s deceptive performance. Full of confidence and charm, he reassures any naysayers in the audience the moment he steps onto the stage to reveal the most effortlessly accurate tone to his voice that allows you to suspend all disbelief and imagine you are in the presence of Frank himself. This isn’t an impersonation, however, and Harper-Jackson ensures he uses all of his many talents to embody a well-rounded characterisation. Though his vocals are to die for, particularly on ‘That’s Life’ and ‘My Way’, his acting is just as stellar, and his stage presence is unmatched. Joel Harper-Jackson delivers a star turn, proving what a remarkable leading man he is in what is easily a career-best performance. In what could have easily descended into a caricature in lesser hands, Harper-Jackson reaffirms that the legacy of the legendary crooner is safe with him, in a fabulously assured portrayal.

When I left the theatre in Birmingham in 2023, I found myself underwhelmed and even disappointed by Sinatra. However, that is the whole purpose of out-of-town tryouts and the fact that the creative team have taken the time to work on the show in the years since has elevated it for its long-awaited West End transfer. Though it still has its flaws, and perhaps has more than the average musical, the nature of its strengths more than balances that out. If there is one reason to see this show, however, it is its stellar cast. With some of the most talented individuals you will see on a West End stage this year, it is Joel Harper-Jackson’s extraordinary lead performance as Frank Sinatra that makes this show worth the ticket price alone. Whether you are a long-time lover of Frank’s music or have never listened to a single song of his in your life, there is enough in Sinatra to entertain a wide variety of theatregoers in a show that might not be groundbreaking in any way, but is enjoyable enough. Though it might not quite succeed in flying me to the moon, it gets partway there, at least, and more than does enough to ensure it won’t be facing its final curtain anytime soon. And once the news starts spreading, surely a transfer to New York, New York won’t be far behind.

Sinatra plays at the Aldwych Theatre, currently booking until April 2027. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/musical/sinatra-the-musical-tickets

Photos by Brinkhoff/Moegenburg