After a long day working in Basingstoke I really needed something to help me chill out – and whilst the new girl on the bar at Richmond Theatre was doing her best, my need for that glass of wine was more than urgent. I chatted to my friend who’d had an equally challenging day in the City. She’s seen the show before and reassured me that our evening would be good.
Frank Sinatra (brilliantly portrayed by Stephen Trifitt who looked and sounded like Old Blue Eyes and had enough of the charm to have made those eyes twinkle) was first up and whilst the stage wasn’t quite Las Vegas scale, the rich big band sound certainly filled the room with “That’s why the lady is a tramp’. Then “You make me feel so young” which was funny as we were amongst the youngest there – don’t younger folks appreciate classic tunes anymore?
Ignoring the phoney accents and old gags my toe was tapping along to the music led by the enthusiastic baby grand piano player. Another couple of songs and those sax, trombone and trumpet players took some well deserved limelight. Whilst the moves of George Long as Sammy Davis Jr were agreeable I was a little disappointed with his voice and characterisation but songs like “That old black magic” are pretty forgiving and “Mr Bojangles” was a definite improvement. I was starting to get a little impatient for my absolute favourite numbers – by Dean Martin - when three gorgeous bejewelled girls in long red slinky dresses with permed curls belted out some numbers providing a visual delight. Their harmonies were sublime.
Thankfully, my personal family favourite “That’s Amore” followed and I nearly burst with happiness. Mark Adams’ voice was as close to Dean’s as you could want. Job done! And then it was straight into “Sway” and then the seductive “Everybody loves somebody”. Aaaahhh.
Fortified with some Jack Daniels in a crystal tumbler and a cigarette in hand, Frank sang the torch number “Angel Eyes” – and then the wonderful trio treated us to “Shall we dance?” and some fancy footwork of the tap dancing variety. They were scoring 10 out of 10 for style and then they broke into “New York, New York” which was great although my friend and I were sure that we got our high kicks a little bit higher when we were young. We couldn’t help wishing that rather than a theatre we were seated at one of those little cabaret tables with a couple of scotches ourselves…but we made our way to the bar.
Imagine my delight when the second half opened with my other firm favourite “Volare” – but this diminished a little when the number was cut short as part of a medley. But I cheered up again when a play on “When you’re smiling” turned into “When you’re drinking”. “An evening in Roma” made me reminisce, as did “Fly me to the moon” and it was nice to see the couples on stage dancing in a way evocative of stylish times gone by when men were men and women were women.
Whilst some of the race, drinking and women gags were a bit near the knuckle they slipped down as easily as the scotch as the playful banter and rapport between the three of them warmed up. ”Witchcraft” was magical and “Love me or leave me” made everyone dance in their seats as the woman on stage flashed some fabulous legs. “Me and my shadow” generated some chuckles before “What kind of fool am I?” took us back to the romance. The audience positively swooned at “Foggy day in London town”.
Finishing up with “Mac the Knife”, “That’s life” and “My way” was inspired.
Anyway, the show is in Richmond for a week and if you don’t have plans for this evening (being Valentine’s Day and all) it would be a brilliant way to bring some of that old fashioned romance into your evening. Alternatively, don some of those long red shiny gloves and sing along to some of those numbers on the stereo.
