"Richard Shelton’s masterful take on Ol’ Blue Eyes is a must-see. Pitched somewhere between concert and confessional, this modest show has greatness in it."
"Shelton’s vocals are remarkable, manifesting not only Sinatra’s sliding rhythms and nuanced phrasing, but also the timbre of that famous instrument.
"His voice wraps you up. It helps that the Sinatra songbook contains pure gold. But, again, the veracity of Shelton’s flinty performance adds a fillip to his interpretations of the music."

Thank you to Donald Hutera!

Sinatra: Raw
★★★★
The British actor Richard Shelton has been portraying Frank Sinatra for a good few years, including in the West End production Rat Pack Confidential. This solo performance (with pianist) is a mesmerising distillation of Shelton’s talent for inhabiting a showbiz legend. If you are in any way, shape or form a fan or, indeed, want to know more about a complex man, Shelton’s masterful take on Ol’ Blue Eyes is a must-see.
The set-up is simple: it’s 1971 and Sinatra, facing retirement, is performing a late-night gig in Palm Springs, California. His tongue loosened by a bottle of Jack Daniels, he’s in a mood to reminisce as well as sing. We hear about the origins of the Rat Pack and himself, from birth and early career to hitting the skids then bouncing back as an Oscar winner.
There’s a longish, bittersweet rhapsody about his addictive passion for Ava Gardner, of whom he says, “I was in all the way, baby”, plus fleeting references to John Kennedy, his links to the mafia (aka “the Italian business community”) and his disgust at racial intolerance.
Granted, much of this is familiar material. What lends it lustre is Shelton, working from his own script. His Sinatra is relaxed, cocky, troubled at times and effortlessly powerful. Every now and again, whether railing against rock’n’roll, the hounding press or industry moguls, he lets loose with a spray of anger that’s like a kick in the teeth. Yet this Frank can also be tender, vulnerable and hurt, and no more so than when singing. Shelton’s vocals are remarkable, manifesting not only Sinatra’s sliding rhythms and nuanced phrasing, but also the timbre of that famous instrument.
His voice wraps you up. It helps that the Sinatra songbook contains pure gold. But, again, the veracity of Shelton’s flinty performance adds a fillip to his interpretations of the music. Pitched somewhere between concert and confessional, this modest show has greatness in it.
Donald Hutera
Box office: 0131 622 6552, to Aug 26. Touring Sept 24-Nov 3