Skank Sinatra: How To Succeed In Show Business Without Really Trying cabaret review – An entertaining scene-stealer
With a flair for classic cabaret styling, Sinatra proves to be a likeably flamboyant presence
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The annals of cabaret are lined with talent, but the decadent drag queen Skank Sinatra has only Liza Minnelli in her heart (with a little extra room for her other inspo, Kylie). The Cabaret mainstay appears in voiceover (meticulously impersonated by Christine Pedi) during Sinatra’s costume changes, quizzing the drag queen on her desire for attention. It’s a neat little touch in a show packed with them, from Sinatra’s rapid-fire flutter of her luscious eyelashes to the delightful intricacy of her shimmering costumes. Sinatra herself is a portrait of glamour with an infinite supply of double entendres and a lust for Stanley Tucci that can’t be sated (her number about everyone’s favourite bald gent is a filthy highlight).
There’s a touching sincerity to her, too, as she sideswipes satirically at South Africa (her place of birth), opines the cutthroat nature of fame and delivers a performance of genuine beauty in the closing act. Though it features an array of entertaining moments, Sinatra might suffer from being too interesting for her own good, exploring the various waypoints of her life without giving them enough room to breathe. Yet with great tunes, lithe crowd work and a stunning voice, this martini-drinking scene-stealer has too much flair to ever bore.
Skank Sinatra: How to Succeed In Show Business Without Really Trying, Assembly George Square Studios, until 30 August, 6.30pm.