Jersey Boys - The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

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Jersey Boys is touring the UK again after a successful permanent run in the West End, and there’s certainly a buzz about it. And with good reason too! It’s won 55 major awards worldwide, including the Olivier Award for the best new musical. I was kindly invited by the Ambassador Theatre Group to attend a press event at the Regent in Hanley to review the show. I have to say, this is one of the easiest reviews I’ve ever had the pleasure of writing as this will have been my fourth time watching it. Quite simply, I just love it! 

Jersey Boys tells the true to life story of four rogues from the wrong side of the tracks who wrote their own songs, invented their own unique sound, and sold 175 million records worldwide in their rise to fame as the Four Seasons. Featuring hit after legendary hit including Beggin’, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Oh What A Night, Sherry, Walk Like A Man, Bye Bye Baby, Big Girls Don’t Cry and many more , Jersey Boys is a story full of heart, humour and amazing music that you’ll never forget. And even if you’re not a full on Four Seasons fan, you’ll still love the show!

If you’re a first timer, you’ll find yourself singing along to songs that you’ve known and loved for years, but had no clue that they were written by the Four Seasons as there have been so many remakes of these iconic songs throughout the years. One of the more recent remakes that some of the “kids” will know, was Madcon’s remake of “Beggin’”, which was actually used in the movie “Step Up 3D”! Proof that these iconic tracks still have their place in people’s hearts to this day!

The stage set up lends itself to a plethora of different scenarios during the show. It’s an exact recreation of the stage that’s used for the West End show at the Trafalgar Theatre, London. A couple of spiral stair cases and a board walk over the stage along with a few fencing panels to give it the “other side of the tracks” look give it all a rather special feel! And with a screen in the back ground helping to create the different settings used throughout the show, you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’d been transported back in time to that golden era during the 60’s. Even the iconic Ed Sullivan introduces them onto the stage at one point via the screen, which is a magical moment.

The props are stunning with each outfit individually tailored with stunning attention to detail. And because the story follows the boys from their beginnings in the early 60’s to the late 60’s when Motown started to become a more popular concept, it means that the props also have to evolve as the show progresses to retain the sense of authenticity. This is most noticeable with the microphones that they use throughout the show, which change and become more modern after every scene. 

Right from the start, you can sense the yearning from the crowd for the Four Seasons to come to life on stage, and you’re kept hanging for a lot of the first half of the show. In fact, there aren’t many of the group’s best sellers performed in the first half at all. But that’s easily forgotten as the story behind the group’s formation is so interesting and so well acted out that you just forget to care, becoming completely wrapped up in the story. The first time “Walk Like A Man” is performed, and the Four Seasons are brought to life for the first time during the show is electric! It’s the kind of performance that raises the hairs on the back of your neck and gives you goose bumps. It was the longest applause I’ve heard for quite some time and the actors were visibly touched by the audience’s approval! I actually found myself wondering when the clapping would stop at one point.

The authentic New Jersey accents used by the cast add to the atmosphere, but sometimes seem a little forced. A great deal of research must have gone into the dance routines as the moves and the gestures articulated by each member of the group were spot on. Put all of this together, and you get one of the best tributes to a group that I’ve ever seen in my life.

The show is colourful and humorous in parts, and I must warn you that there are a fair few gentle obscenities used throughout the show which add to the authenticity of the production, so I’d recommend parental guidance. The fact that the boys are rogues remains with them throughout the performance, and this just makes them more endearing and lovable. In fact, it provides perfect opportunities throughout the show to add a little humour to the proceedings. 

Frankie Valli was portrayed brilliantly by Michael Pickering. Frankie will tell you himself that having never had any musical training, he had no idea until much later on in life that not everybody could replicate that kind of vocal range. Singing like Frankie with his unusually powerful falsetto voice, requires a very special & unique vocal range, and Michael tackled it with ease, not dropping a single note throughout the show. I have to say though, his voice seemed to be drowned out by some of the other vocals and the music at times. I’m sure this was purely technical, but it was a great performance nonetheless. Starring alongside Michael were Blair Gibson as Bob Gaudio, Grease’s Dalton Wood as Tommy DeVito, and I was elated to see that the awesome Lewis Griffiths was back as Nick Massi, as nobody pulls the role off better! Together they sounded incredible. The chemistry between them was immediately evident and you could tell they were having fun. Each time one of the boys comes to the front of the stage to talk personally to the crowd, you know straight away that the production team have done their homework and sat down with the real article as its like hearing the story straight from the horse’s mouth.

If I were to sum up the show in a few words, I’d describe it as the heart warming true story of how these four lovable rogues rose to fame, from standing under a street lamp developing their own style to performing to sell out crowds around the world. With all the razzmatazz and glitz of the golden 60’s era, and all of the amazing songs from back in the day, it’s a juke box musical that will rip you out of your seat and take you on a wonderful journey of dreams, trials, tribulations, pitfalls and possibilities! I can’t recommend this show enough, and I implore you to experience it for yourselves whether you’re a fan of the Four Seasons or not! See the trailer below to find out more!  

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  

It's playing at the Regent Theatre NOW until and including Saturday 19th February. Tickets are on sale and are available from the Box Office, by calling 0844 871 7649 or visiting www.atgtickets.com/stoke