Sinatra the Musical is a brand new West End musical that brings to life the conflict, controversy, and rollercoaster career of Frank Sinatra. It is revealing in its storytelling of the media, politics, romance, and alcoholism that shaped the life of the man behind many iconic songs loved by many.
Joel Harper-Jackson, who plays the iconic Frank Sinatra, has an incredible voice, almost a replica of the singer's. He has captivating showmanship and charisma and does the role justice. The musical is cleverly shaped by Sinatra’s classics, including “That’s Life“, “One For My Baby“, “The Best Is Yet to Come” and “I've Got the World on a String“.
The musical opens with Sinatra on stage at his infamous ‘Paramount Theatre’ performance. The audience, and ‘fans’ running down the aisles onto the stage, make it feel like a trip back in time to his show. The creativity of the production is evident in the staging by Peter McKintosh, which is vibrant and dazzling, highlighting the time period of Hollywood and swing music. The screens and lighting often depict a backdrop of New York, the night sky, and bars. The props and sets are interchanging as the scenes move from the stage, the studio, Sinatra’s house, or the bar.
The show, while about the musical career of the man himself, is more about his personal life than the creation of his music. The story takes us through the scandal of his love for movie star Ava Gardner (Ana Villafañe) and his breakdown with his first wife, Nancy (Phoebe Panaretos), as he battles with alcohol, romance, and the hostile media.
The first half of the production displays the height of his career, then the downfall of the romantic drama and media scrutiny, and then the second part brings a shift in the young star fighting back and learning from his mistakes, to stage ‘the greatest comeback in show business history’.
Written by Joe DiPietro and directed by Kathleen Marshall, Sinatra is an entertaining celebration of the voice, charisma, and self-destructive artistry of the man himself.
While I knew some of his music, I didn't know anything about the career or life of Sinatra before watching this, so I didn't have any perception of what to expect. It was interesting to learn more about the artist, and it was certainly a revealing portrayal that didn't shy away from what he was like as a person and his faults. I personally would have been interested to learn more about where his passion for music grew from, where his voice came from, his songwriting craft, etc. It is an entertaining, well-directed musical, but I don't see it holding any close comparison to the timeless, brilliant musicals that dominate the West End.
Sinatra the musical is booking at Aldwych Theatre until 10th April 2027. You can compare seat views and book tickets for Sinatra The Musical: here.
Review: Cara-Louise Scott-Lapish Photos: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg