Thanks to Wales Millennium Centre for offering us with tickets in change for this assessment
Most ‘juke field musicals’ take a band or artist’s hits and weave them right into a fictional story. Not so Jersey Boys; the internationally-acclaimed stage sensation tells the real-life story of the folks behind the music themselves – Frankie Valli and The 4 Seasons. 4 unusual males who turned one of many largest music acts on the planet within the Sixties and whose songs are nonetheless so well-loved in the present day.
The stage musical has been delighting audiences since 2005, profitable 65 main awards and having been seen by near 30 million folks worldwide – together with right here in Cardiff the place it’s again on the town for a two-week run at Wales Millennium Centre. I took my 11 12 months outdated to final night time’s press efficiency, the primary time seeing it for each of us, and we each cherished it.
In contrast to different jukebox musicals (We Will Rock You, Mamma Mia and related) the place I’ve recognized loads concerning the musicians behind the hits, in addition to the songs themselves, I knew nothing about Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons. I knew loads of their hits, and even discovered myself having a number of “I didn’t know they wrote that!” moments, however couldn’t have pointed the frontman out in a line up or advised you a single reality about them. And it’s not simply me; because the present’s co-writer Rick Elice factors out within the programme notes, not like different bands on the time, so little was recognized about their private lives.
“Little or no was written concerning the band again of their heyday,” he says. “They’d been written off within the Sixties, in the identical means that I had written them off in my thoughts, as not being fascinating.”
However behind the upbeat, catchy songs with Valli’s distinctive vocals, is an interesting, compelling story of jail sentences, mob connections, spiraling money owed, relationship breakdowns and the band nearly imploding. With such off-stage antics, it’s straightforward no marvel Jersey Boys has been such a theatrical success.
Michael Pickering performs Frankie Valli, nailing that legendary falsetto vocal and swooping with ease from the low notes to the excessive as he fronts the band’s largest hits and battles together with his personal private relationships.
Dalton Wooden is Tommy DeVito, the band’s charismatic dangerous boy who brings the band collectively (and nearly destroys them), whereas Christopher Quick is Nick Massi, the self-confessed ‘Ringo of the band’, part of the story however by no means fairly as integral because the others.
Blair Gibson performs Bob Gaudio, the songwriter whose phrases and melodies took the band from gigging musicians to world superstars, regardless of not loving the limelight himself. Seeing how among the band’s largest hits got here to be was fairly fascinating.
The story strikes shortly, the hits come thick and quick, however there’s nonetheless plenty of depth to the plot (and I discovered the programme fascinating in increasing on this). The 4 major characters work so properly collectively; their harmonies are stunning, the musical numbers in line with the band’s authentic type. Their array of matching fits look implausible, and every is given the possibility to deal with the viewers and inform the story of their phrases.
It’s undoubtedly a male-dominated present, however there’s an excellent forged of supporting females too with Emma Crossley shining specifically as Frankie’s struggling spouse Mary Delgado, with she, Victoria McCabe and Ellie Seaton taking part in numerous different elements too.
Age guidance-wise, the official suggestion is 12+ with no admittance to underneath twos. There’s plenty of swearing and some sexual references and a few full-on ‘making out’ however nothing I wasn’t snug for my 11 and a half 12 months outdated to look at. It helps that he’s enthusiastic about music and musicals; it wouldn’t be to the style of all teenagers and tweens, however he actually cherished it. Equally, it’d be an excellent one to see with associates or associate; though the plot is hard-hitting at instances, the music is so uplifting and really feel good, it makes for an excellent night time out.
Jersey Boys is at Wales Millennium Centre till Saturday 22 April 2023. Tickets value from £17.50, with good availability for the remainder of the run. For extra info and to e book tickets, go to the web site right here.
