Frankie is back in town

Frank Sinatra was invariably begged for encores, of course, and Richard Shelton’s rendition of him is worth a second look too. He’s back at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit for all of October with the musical tribute “Frankly … I Was a Fool for Love”, a hit there back in March.
The British singer-actor wowed the Bangkok crowd with his depiction of Sinatra performing at the Key Club in Hollywood in 1966, reminiscing about his failed marriage to Ava Gardner while belting out his greatest tunes.
The original show in Bangkok was its world premiere.
Audiences elsewhere have since had a taste, and the revived version is significantly different.
There wasn’t enough of a story in the original to it to call it a proper stage musical.
It was mostly Shelton crooning “Fly Me to the Moon”, “My Funny Valentine”, “You Make Me Feel So Young” and other classics between his spoken-word pining for Gardner.
Actress Rebecca Egan played Ava Gardner, while Nigel Miles-Thomas took the role of Sinatra’s manager  and friend Peter Lawford – the singer’s moral support, always ready with a wake-up slap to pull him back to reality.
Sinatra fans nevertheless had a real treat with the show. Shelton is a fine singer, able to capture Sinatra’s flair and vocal artistry. And the back-up band was decent throughout the hour-long show of Swinging ’60s nostalgia, with even the waitresses done up in retro outfits and heavy makeup.
This time around, it’s just Shelton and Miles-Thomas. He’s in the same setting but has a more extensive choice of songs and, according to the billing, a completely new show.
Choose your pleasure: Bt1,200 with two standard drinks from Sunday to Thursday or Bt1,400 on Friday and Saturday. You can also enjoy a pre-show dinner at the Orchid Café or Rossini’s for Bt2,500.

His way

_ See “Frankly … I’m Back in Town” tonight through November 6, daily at 8.30pm, at the Living Room at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.
_ It’s best to reserve a table via (02) 649 8000 or www. SheratonGrandeSukhumvit.com.