“Jersey Boys celebrates its 20th anniversary with a cast that should not be missed“
Jersey Boys marks its 20th anniversary as the new tour arrives at the Edinburgh Playhouse to a packed-out audience. 20 years later, it’s very clear why this show remains so popular.
Someone said to me recently that Jersey Boys is one of the more critically acclaimed jukebox musicals and despite having never seen it, this was without question true. This is the type of show that draws in even those who don’t tend to visit the theatre unless dragged by a significant other or possibly a child. It’s something of a miracle that this was my first experience with it as it feels like you couldn’t throw a rock without finding a new production of this show these last 10 years. Part of this is due to the music, known by all even if it isn’t on your usual playlist. It would be virtually impossible to walk out of this show never having heard a single song before. The Four Seasons musical talents are undeniable and absolutely classic but their story is one of great interest. The tale of four sons of Irish immigrants from New Jersey, it tells of their start there, the group’s identity crisis before settling on the name The Four Seasons (having multiple names for the band prior), their Mafia connections, and their time on the road. Of course, it also shows how that affected their family lives back home and the growing tensions among the four over the years.
All of this is told from the perspective of each member; Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio, played by Luke Baker, Carlo Boumouglbay, Lewis Kennedy and Toby Miles respectively. The show follows a structure that divides the story into four seasons, matching the band’s name. Telling the story from multiple points of view was definitely the best way to translate this story to an audience as it fairly honours each member’s take on events. These 4 actors did an excellent job of displaying the dynamics between all members of the group and the tension in moments such as the group finding out about Tommy’s hidden debts felt very real. The narrative creates the environment of a dysfunctional family and these men play into that very well.
The vocals across the board were completely sublime. It truly is as if you were actually listening to The Four Seasons themselves. “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, “Bye Bye Baby”, “Walk Like A Man”, “Earth Angel”, the list of hits you’ll hear doesn’t stop. All of this music was era defining. There’s a reason the group made it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. There are no bad songs in the mix. In a show that’s frankly full of standout moments, it’s difficult to be selective but when numbers like “Sherry” or “Beggin’” start, it does something to the audience. There’s an electricity in the air. The same can definitely be said for “December, 1963 (Oh What A Night)”, which is often heralded as one of their greatest hits. Perhaps the most iconic moment of the evening though is a number sung solely by Frankie Valli. A song that nearly never saw the light of day, initially rejected by the label and radio stations, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” is known around the world and went on to sell 3 million copies, wiping out the band’s debts. Luke Baker nailed this performance, creating an ecstatic moment amongst the whole audience.
The use of screens was a thoughtful addition for staging in moments that highlighted their television performances, being shown in black and white to capture the authentic style of the time but using the actors as opposed to original footage. The costumes also honoured the original outfits associated with the group in these moments with the classic red suits being highlighted. On top of the exceptional vocals, the band behind the music were top notch.
Overall, the quality of each aspect of this production was very impressive. In a world now full of jukebox musicals, honouring many artists, Jersey Boys was one of the first to ever do it in this way as a biographical story. Sometimes, these types of musicals can lack a strong narrative, focusing heavily on the music to distract from a slightly weaker script. Jersey Boys does not fall into this category. Story, music, laughter, it has it all. Don’t miss it!
Jersey Boys is playing at the Edinburgh Playhouse till the 17th October. Tickets are available here.