The Edinburgh Fringe is almost upon us and to get prepared for another Scottish summer Read About Stuff is running a ‘Five From The Fringe’ interview series, where creative teams answer five questions about their upcoming Festival shows.
In this interview, I chat to Richard Shelton about their new show Sinatra: One Last Shot.
Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?
The show is about reinvention, relevance and resilience. Audiences can expect to hear some of their favourite Frank Sinatra hits set against the gritty drama of his greatest come back story. The show is set in 1979 at the dawn of the ’80’s when times were changing fast. Sid Vicious recorded a punk parody of Sinatra’s most famous anthem, ‘My Way’ and Sinatra’s love life is once again in disarray as he grapples with staying relevant and in search of an illusive new song. But when someone brings him, ’New York, New York’, he feels a tingle of excitement – could this be the one? This gritty, warts-and-all drama looks beyond the blue eyes of an icon and into his complex mind, portraying a man confronting his regrets and questioning his life’s journey while still brave enough to face the future the only way he knows how: his.
What drew you to this specific story, and why does it belong at the Edinburgh Fringe?
I have portrayed Frank Sinatra in 2 previous drama’s: ‘Rat Pack Confidential’ (Nottingham Playhouse and West End – nominated ‘Best Actor in a Leading Role,’ Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards) and ’Sinatra: RAW’ which started its life at the Edinburgh Fringe before enjoying global critical acclaim (London, UK, Australia, New York, Los Angeles) and several award nominations. I have an astonishing synchronicity and serendipity with Sinatra. His tuxedo walked into my life after recording with his bandmates at Capitol Records in LA, I was one of the last people alive to see inside his last home in Hollywood, I have been inside all his Palm Springs homes, and we are the exact same physical size. My voice fits inside his vocal range and I understand his complex mind. As an actor, it’s a rich tapestry on which to pull. It feels right that the Edinburgh Fringe is the birthplace for the next chapter in the Sinatra story, especially one of his greatest come back.
What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?
I’m very familiar with the subject but it’s always a challenge getting deep into the truths and mining the emotional depths of the man. Exploring that through both music and drama is especially rewarding but it takes dedication. If you’re going to attempt to bring Sinatra to life, you’d better be prepared. It’s been fun collaborating with writer, Bert Tyler Moore (The Windsors) on this. We are both avid Sinatra fans.
How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?
It’s very simple. A bottle of Jack Daniels, a cocktail table and live piano. The story does all the heavy lifting.
If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?
‘Let me try again’.
Sinatra: One Last Shot runs at Dirty Martini at Le Monde (Venue 47) from August 7th – 30th. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/sinatra-one-last-shot
