5 Reasons to Watch Sinatra the Musical

Directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, Sinatra the Musical chronicles the struggles Sinatra faced in his career, all the way up to his triumphant comeback, along with the personal details of his marriage to Nancy Sinatra and his affair with Ava Gardner. But did it live up to the hype? Here's five reasons why you might enjoy this energetic and soulful new biographical musical about one of the greatest entertainers of his time.

The Music

The biggest draw of the musical is, of course, the chance to hear Sinatra's greatest hits performed live. Luckily, Joel Harper-Jackson delivers on that front, capturing Sinatra's iconic voice and signature style with a truly phenomenal performance. He's backed up with an equally talented supporting cast, with a particularly break-out performance by Phoebe Panaretos as Nancy Sinatra, whose deep, throaty singing voice captures the richness of her emotional journey. The orchestra, led by Larry Blank, provides a truly mesmerising accompaniment, always within the audience's line of sight.

The score features both big, flashy ensemble performances of catchy songs such as 'The Best is Yet to Come', set to dazzling, elaborate, and energetic dance numbers, and duets woven into the storytelling, such as a heartrending rendition of 'Nancy (With the Laughing Face)' between Frank and his daughter Nancy. Particularly entertaining was a performance of 'Come Fly With Me' set to a montage of Frank's love affairs. Every major character gets their chance to sing, including Frank's parents Dolly and Marty (played by Jenna Russell and Marty Maguire), who perform an adorable rendition of 'You Make Me Feel So Young'.

Even with over twenty of Sinatra's hits included in the score, it's impossible not to miss a few, but I was personally a little disappointed not to hear 'Strangers in the Night' and 'Something Stupid'.

The Cast

Leading on from that, the cast itself is truly brilliant, doing justice to DiPietro's script's rapid-fire, zingers-laden dialogue, and making the historical figures they portray feel like real, fleshed-out characters who are both entertaining and deeply empathetic.

Joel Harper-Jackson brings a boyish charm and earnestness to his portrayal of Frank, equal parts sympathetic as we watch him struggle and frustrating in his impulsiveness, temper, and chronic infidelity. Phoebe Panaretos as Nancy is both formidable and vulnurable, and Ana Villafane is utterly charismatic as the sexy, confident Ava Gardner, who sets her own rules in her relationship with Frank. Both are given a strong focus as the primary women in Frank's life.

But the real scene-stealer is Jenna Russell as Frank's fast-talking, no-nonsense Italian-American mother Dolly, whose blunt abrasiveness and sharp-tongued barbs drew laughter from the audience and an exasperated "Ma!" from Frank every time. Lee Zarrett as Frank's fiercely loyal agent George Evans comes a close second, with his comical moments of sarcasm as he grows increasingly fed up of Frank's antics.

Joel Harper-Jackson and Phoebe Panaretos. Photo by Birgit and Ralf Brinkhoff

The Storytelling

DiPietro's script is perhaps where the musical falls short. The plot is weak, jumping around between key moments in Frank's life in the form of what sometimes feel like disconnected vignettes. It crams in references to the discrimination Frank faced as an Italian-American, allegations about his connections to the mob, and his resistance against segregation, without really going into much detail about any of those things in a satisfying way.

The story also spends a lot of time on the low points of Frank's career and brushes over the highs, including his big comeback, which means the overall tone of the musical feels quite pessimistic.

But it's still fascinating to learn all the little details about Frank's life and career that the average person wouldn't know, and to catch a glimpse of the musical and film industry of the 1940s and 1950s.

A trip into the past

Indeed, the musical does a fantastic job of immersing us into the time period, making it feel like we're watching a film from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Peter McKintosh's set design captures the aesthetics of the era with a distinctive colour palette that feels instantly recognisable, while screen projections create impressions of suburban LA and downtown Hollywood. Along with Jon Morrell's dazzling costumes, we're immediately thrust into the glitz, glamour, and seediness of Frank's world.

Joel Harper-Jackson and Ana Villafane. Photo by Birgit and Ralf Brinkhoff

Why do we love bio-musicals?

On the night I attended, the theatre was packed with audience members from the generation that would have spent their youth listening to Sinatra - breaking the fourth wall, Dolly makes a crack about how much of us would never have been conceived without her son's music. There's a clear nostalgic appeal to the musical, and a strong emotional component that comes with seeing Sinatra live again onstage and hearing his music performed live.

The story also humanises Frank beyond the musical legend we all know and love, painting a picture of a man who is as flawed and fallible as he is talented. There's also something inspiring and hopeful about seeing how even one of the greatest musicians of all time struggled and faltered before he hit his peak - especially for those in the creative industry who are facing their own roadblocks.

It's for that reason that we love biographical musicals, which have seen a surge in popularity in the last few years, with MJ the Musical, I'm Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical, and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, to name a few. And it's also why, despite its flaws, Sinatra the Musical will undoubtedly join their ranks as a big hit with West End audiences and beyond.

If you enjoyed Sinatra the Musical, here are all the other theatre shows you can enjoy in London this summer. And if you need more inspiration, here are all the celebrities you can see onstage this year.

Sinatra Tickets