one4review | On 13, Aug 2026

Frank Sinatra is one of those performers whose voice and persona are so familiar that it would be easy to present a selection of his greatest hits and leave it at that. Sinatra: One Last Shot takes a more interesting approach, using a pivotal moment in his life to provide the framework for a highly entertaining afternoon of music and storytelling.

Set on New Year’s Eve 1979 in Sinatra’s Palm Springs home, the show finds him at something of a crossroads. Retirement doesn’t appeal, his latest album has flopped and the musical landscape is changing rapidly, yet he remains capable of filling concert halls. The question is whether there is still another chapter in the career of one of the world’s most celebrated entertainers.

Richard Shelton is extremely convincing as Sinatra, capturing both the familiar confidence and something of the vulnerability beneath the carefully constructed persona. Most importantly, he has a superb voice. Close your eyes during some of the musical numbers and it is remarkably easy to imagine that Sinatra himself is singing.

The decision to tell a slice of Sinatra’s life rather than simply present a succession of songs adds considerably to the appeal. Familiar numbers such as My Way; New York, New York and One for My Baby take on additional meaning when placed within the story of the man performing them.

Shelton is accompanied by pianist Campbell Normand, whose live playing is an important part of the production, allowing the music to emerge naturally from the story rather than functioning simply as a sequence of musical numbers. Together, the songs, the storytelling and the intimate setting of the Dirty Martini keep the audience engaged throughout.

This is an affectionate and entertaining portrait rather than an attempt to dissect the man behind the legend, and it works particularly well because the music is woven into the story. The evening ends on a high, with Shelton taking requests from the audience and performing several songs as an encore. A very enjoyable show, with a superb central performance and plenty of great music, and one I would certainly recommend catching

****1/2
Reviewed by Howard
Dirty Martini at Le Monde

Until 30th August (not 17th or 24th)
15.30 (1 hour)