★★★★★
Few voices have transcended generations quite like Frank Sinatra’s, and Sinatra The Musical captures not only the music but the extraordinary man, relationships and ambition behind it. Playing at London’s Aldwych Theatre, this lavish new musical is glamorous, romantic and enormously entertaining — a celebration of a generational talent delivered with spectacular performances, sumptuous costumes and a sensational live orchestra.
Featuring more than 20 Frank Sinatra classics, including That’s Life, One for My Baby, The Best Is Yet to Come and Come Fly With Me, the production follows Sinatra’s meteoric rise from a skinny 27-year-old singer at New York’s Paramount Theatre to one of the most recognisable entertainers in history.
Joel Harper-Jackson Shines as Frank Sinatra
At the centre of Sinatra The Musical is Joel Harper-Jackson, and he is a force of nature.
Embodying Sinatra without slipping into impersonation is a formidable task, but Harper-Jackson lights up the stage with electric charisma and charm. There is swagger, vulnerability and, crucially, velvet vocals that would make THE Frank Sinatra proud.
The story follows the dizzying consequences of fame as Sinatra’s marriage to Nancy is tested by his success and his tempestuous relationship with Hollywood icon Ava Gardner.
Ana Villafañe gives Gardner considerable depth. Her love for Frank is felt throughout in a tender but honest portrayal of a relationship filled with desire, volatility and genuine affection.
Phoebe Panaretos is phenomenally impressive as Nancy Sinatra Sr. Her vocals are extraordinary; there are moments when the sheer power of her voice prompts audible gasps of disbelief from the audience.
Little Nancy Sinatra, a role shared by Sylvie Regan, Mia Savident and Felicity Walton, provides some of the evening’s sweetest moments. Her confidence and stars-in-her-eyes adoration for her beloved father give the superstar story a touching emotional anchor.
Sinatra’s Greatest Songs Come Alive
Naturally, the music is the star. A magnificent 17-piece orchestra gives Sinatra’s catalogue the scale and richness it deserves, making songs written decades ago feel thrillingly alive.
Our advice: don’t rush for the exit when the curtain falls.
Stay behind and watch the orchestra play the audience out of the theatre. It is a wonderful final flourish and an opportunity to appreciate the musicians responsible for so much of the magic.
Peter McKintosh’s stunning set design and Jon Morrell’s beautiful costumes transport the audience through 1940s and 1950s America, from Hollywood glamour to nightclubs and concert halls. Under Kathleen Marshall’s direction and choreography, Sinatra’s extraordinary career unfolds with all the scale of a classic musical while keeping his complicated relationships at its heart.
Is Sinatra The Musical Worth Seeing?
Yes! Sinatra The Musical allows one of the greatest stories in entertainment to translate across generations. Take your grandfather who remembers the records or your daughter discovering the songs for the first time, everyone will have a spectacular time.
Glamorous, heartfelt and bursting with extraordinary music, Sinatra The Musical is a celebration of talent, complicated love and the determination behind an American icon.
Sinatra The Musical is now playing at London’s Aldwych Theatre.
Tickets are available from the official Sinatra The Musical website.
