Sinatra
March 27, 2008
Sinatra
Venue: Sunderland Empire
Date Reviewed: 27th March 2008
On the face of it this show cannot work as it is really over two hours of watching a video of a singer who has been dead for several years. But the production values are so high that Sinatra is one of the must see touring shows of the year.
The great man himself is seen singing and talking about his life, from his humble beginnings, when his mother nearly died giving birth to him and his grandmother saved his life, through to the Kennedy assassination and beyond. But he is ably assisted by a group of first class dancers and a magnificent live band that take centre stage.
Images appear on screens of all shapes and sizes that cross the stage, or descend from the fly-tower. The singer is even brilliantly projected on to the dancers’ umbrellas and large white balloons. At one point as Frank sings on one screen, four white drapes cascade, one by one, across the stage, showing images of Ava Gardener.
In another scene one of the dancers appears as Mia Farrow and sings a duet with Frank who is on a screen beside her, while real life images of the pair during their brief sixteen month marriage are projected elsewhere.
The dancers are smart and well dressed and their routines are often projected on to the screens from a camera situated in the rear stalls. This allows Sinatra to be singing with real dancers on stage while on other screens close up of the dancers are projected.
Classic songs litter this show but it is That’s Life and New York, New York routines that stop the show and the audience is spell bound when a single screen projects Sinatra singing My Way.
Director David Leveaux has taken a simple concept and with Designer Tom Pye presents us with one of the most compelling theatre experiences I have ever seen. It is refreshing, different and classy and hearing Sinatra sing with a live orchestra is a real treat.
While not knowing who Sinatra was, my eight year old daughter sat spellbound from the start, showing that this production can entertain people of all ages.
The concept does sound odd, Sinatra Live on stage, but I cannot recommend this production highly enough.
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