JERSEY Boys is an excellent choice by the Alex as an ‘alternative’ Christmas show. You won’t find any pantomime dames nor fairy queens – neither is there a single ‘look behind you’ to be had – but there is a lot of magic going on all the same.
Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice collaborated on a no-holes barred gutsy book, which allows director Des McAnuff to bring to life the true story of four boys from the wrong side of Jersey who become rock ‘n’ roll icons.
Their road to stardom is littered with mafia, money laundering, alcoholism, gambling and broken relationships – plus an untimely death or two.
The boys are a bunch of petty criminals when we first meet them and had it not been for music they would probably have spent most of their lives in jail.
As it is, one night under a streetlight Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi, Tommy Devito and little Frankie Valli discover that unique sound which was going to capture the hearts of the world.
The Four Seasons as they were called were named after a lounge where they were gigging at. – simple and honest – unlike their complex journey.
Picture by Birgit and Ralf Brinkhoff. sApparently the show has a bit of a record of mishaps over the years. This continued here with the preview night having to be cancelled when everything blacked out due to workmen on the street outside inadvertently cutting through a power cable.
On press night Michael Pickering playing Frankie had to replaced at the interval by Luke Suri. But Brummies being Brummies welcomed his first number with a roar of approval and applause that seemed like it was never going to stop. Suri was genuinely moved and patted his heart in a bonding gesture. Oh we do love an underdog us Brummies.
It’s a big show with a substantial cast, orchestra and crew and it’s unusually long by modern musical standards
There is some wonderful staging and lighting and it is as slick as the numbers are smooth. The lyrics are from the remarkable pen of rock master Bob Crewe and the music composed by the legend that is Bob Gaudio
The final scene set in the Rock ‘n’ Roll hall of fame is where we finally get to hear ‘Rag Doll’ and has the hairs on the back of your neck tingling. The mini-concert walkdown, which follows, is a magnificent end to a fabulous evening. I defy anyone not to get up and boogie.
Jersey Boys takes you through the whole gambit of emotions and back again – in the words of the Four Seasons “Oh What A Night”
The show runs at the Alex until new year’s eve. Click here for times, tickets and more information.
****
Review by Euan Rose
Euan Rose reviews
