Sinatra: Raw – C Venues, C Aurora

Richard Shelton is marvelous in his portrayal of that ol’ crooner, Sinatra. Set in 1971, Sinatra: Raw recreates a 2 am show in Palm Springs. Here, Frank is opinionated, open, honest and enjoying Jack Daniels on ice. He is, of course, singing.

Shelton is from Wolverhampton originally. He now lives in LA. Seven years ago, this particular Edinburgh Fringe show set him up for life, and he has since performed it in London, New York and Los Angeles to great acclaim. In fact, he is so well-liked that he was gifted one of Sinatra’s own dinner jackets which fits him to a tee.

If you are a Sinatra fan, get yourself along to see this recreation of Ol’ Blue Eyes and hear about the Rat Pack, the love affairs, the unfairness of life with its ups and downs. Shelton has cracked Sinatra’s voice and his mannerisms. He channels the man.

If you’re not a Sinatra fan, or know very little about this one-time Hollywood star, you’ll still enjoy the singing and the storytelling. It echoes a different era, before that of Taylor Swift. It has a charm that, for me, Michael Bublé’s voice almost captures, but not quite.

For whatever reason, and who knows why, I shed a tear when Shelton finished with Sinatra’s anthem, I Did it My Way. The voice was moving. The sentiments rang true. I began to wish I’d seen him live.

Try this show or Shelton’s late-night show, Sinatra and Me. He is flawless in his performance and superbly supported by pianist, Campbell Normand.

Reviewer: Kathleen Mansfield

Reviewed: 15th August 2024

North West End UK Rating: