(Richard
Shelton. Pic by Val Adamson)
Fans of Sinatra, don't miss this! (Review by Caroline Smart)
A seven-piece band awaits. The stage is set
with a stylish white grand piano and a pedestal with cocktails including a
bottle of Jack Daniels. A familiar figure walks in through the audience singing
Luck Be A Lady. A sudden angle of the
spotlight, a slight turn of his head and you have Frank Sinatra in person
standing right there in front of you on the Rockwood Theatre stage.
This is Richard Shelton who is appearing in
his show Sinatra And Me at Sibaya this week. He has been described as
"one of the world’s finest Sinatra interpreters", and deservedly so. The
resemblance is often uncanny and the voice and accent perfectly copied. He has
Sinatra’s “floating” right hand off to perfection as well as his ironic comments.
He is even wearing one of Sinatra’s elegant tuxedos which fits him to a T.
Shelton is an award-winning British actor
and singer and his show comes directly from the West End and Los Angeles. He
has an impressive track record, having appeared at major events and on countless
international TV and radio shows. He received a Best Actor in a Leading Role
award for his performance as Frank Sinatra in Rat Pack Confidential.
With images of Frank Sinatra played onto
the backdrop, Shelton performs the show as Sinatra most of the time but
occasionally breaks off to reveal his own identity and explain how the famous
star came to be such a strong influence on his life. Those who are not familiar
with Sinatra’s life, his career and his association with the famed Rat Pack of
the Las Vegas casino scene will find the narrative fascinating and informative.
His charm and genial manner endears him to the audience who respond with
delight to his interaction.
The band is headed by Johannesburg-based Clifford
Cooper. The other musicians are all from Durban: Nick Pitman (lead guitar); Trevor
Donjeany (bass guitar); Bruce Baker (drums); Johan van der Molen (sax); Cathy
Peacock (trumpet) and Christof Spies (trombone).
The line-up includes all the major Sinatra
favourites such as Fly Me to the Moon, It
Was a Very Good Year, One For My Baby, That’s
Life, My Foolish Heart, I Get A Kick, and Lady is a Tramp.
I was impressed and moved by Moonlight in Vermont, the contemplative One For My Baby and the unaccompanied My Foolish Heart which Sinatra sang one evening from a balcony to his
one-time wife, Ava Gardner.
I delighted in the energy, power and pizazz
behind numbers like Witchcraft, New York New York, Chicago, Mack the Knife and my own favourite of the show, My Way.
There appeared to be a sound technical
problem during the first half of the production with an imbalance between
Shelton and the brass section, often making it sound as if they were in
competition with each other. This made it difficult for Shelton to give numbers
such as I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Come Fly Me With Me or The Summer Wind the gentler moods the
songs require. However, after interval, the imbalance seemed to have been
sorted and there were no more problems.
Fans of Sinatra, don't miss this!
Sinatra
and Me runs at the Rockwood Theatre until Sunday
(March 17, 2019) with shows Tuesday to Saturday at 20h00 (the Sunday show is
sold out). Ticket prices R200 booked through www.rockwoodtheatre.co.za/durban
or sibaya@rockwoodtheatre.co.za
The show then moves on to The Mandela at
Joburg Theatre in Gauteng. – Caroline Smart
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