17/08/24

C Arts Venues (C Aurora), Lauriston Street, Edinburgh

Tribute acts have long been a staple of the Fringe, but to describe Richard Shelton’s interpretation that way would be to do it a disservice. It’s 1971 and Sinatra is here to deliver his final performance. We’re in the Purple Room in Palm Springs (though in reality, we’re actually in the room where Susan and I go to cast our votes in government elections). Out saunters Shelton, the very personification of Ol’ Blue Eyes, and he launches into his opening song, accompanied on the piano by Campbell Normand.

It’s not just the voice, though it must be said that’s spot on – as smooth as warm honey, as powerful as high-tensile steel – Shelton also bears more than a passing resemblance to the great crooner and, as he casually mentions at the end, he’s actually wearing one of Sinatra’s suits. In between songs, he talks about the singer’s life: his meteoric rise to fame thanks to the adulation of his young followers, the Bobby Soxers; his clashes with band leader Tommy Dorsey; his doomed love affair with Ava Gardner… it’s all here, delivered in that familiar, hard-bitten voice.

As he reminisces, he works his way steadily through a bottle of Jack Daniels (which I presume is non- alcoholic because Shelton has to get to the end of August to finish his stint). At one point, he slips easily into the suave voice of Eddie Fisher and I think, “Wow, this guy really knows how to nail a British accent.” So to learn, at the very end, that Shelton is actually from Wolverhampton is quite the revelation.

In short, if you love Frank Sinatra songs, if you’d like to know a little more about the man’s turbulent history, if you hanker to hear a rendition of A Very Good Year that may bring you close to tears, then head for Lauriston Street at your earliest opportunity. Every evening at 9pm, Frank (or rather Richard Shelton) is waiting to perform for you. And those who enjoy a relaxed late-night experience might also wish to check out his other show, Sinatra and Me, which promises to be just as much of a revelation.

Oh and don’t bother to take your voting ID. That’s all done and dusted.

4.6 stars

Philip Caveney