Oh What A Night it was seeing Jersey Boys at Leeds Grand Theatre as the audience at the 144-year-old theatre were taken back in time to the swinging 60s.
"I just can't get over how good it is", audience members muttered as they grabbed their ice creams in the interval. The show directed by Des McAnuff left the audience in the Mood For Love and completely stunned.
The jukebox musical took them through a whirlwind of emotions as the tale of Franki Valli and the Four Seasons played out on screen. Beaming smiles appeared around the theatre as well known songs such as Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Sunday Kind of Love, and Bye Bye Baby were performed - which have played significance in the lives of those who are 22 to 92 as they are still so recognisable today.
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Previous tour alumni Michael Pickering and Lewis Griffiths return as Frankie Valli and Nick Massi respectively, with Blair Gibson as Bob Gaudio and Dalton Wood as Tommy DeVito. Luke Suri will play Frankie Valli at certain performances.
This isn't your typical musical where the songs are shoehorned from a beloved banned and placed into some unknown story. Jersey Boys delightfully tells the band's own story from growing up in New Jersey to their reunion show at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame after years of success. And while of course watchers were seen swaying from side to side, and up on their feat for the finale number, there were also some very emotional elements on stage too.
The show really takes the audience through every element of the music industry, showcasing many themes which are amplified in today's era too. The show addresses gambling addiction, debt, marriage, romance, divorce, death, friendship, trust, and egoism and show watchers laughed, cried, and were left shocked during certain musical numbers.
Helping to share these themes, the set makes the best use of every inch of the stage and kept the audience on the edge of their seat - wondering where they would be taken to next. A smart medium was when the band performed on TV, an old style camera faced towards them and a black and white projection screen on the stage made it feel like the audience were watching it live on the TV.
It was exciting to see one minute they were taken to a New Jersey jazz club, the next minute to a strip joint, park bench, Las Vegas, coffee shop, jail cell, and more. Sergio Trujillo's choreography was smooth and each of the Four Seasons characters were synchronised in their movements, and the sweet sound of their perfectly pitches harmonies left me with goosebumps and a chill from head to toe.
A special mention must be made to lead Michael Pickering who played protagonist Frankie Valli. His voice left the audience captivated and his unbelievable pitch range really made the audience believe he was the legendary sixties singer. He was the perfect choice for the lead role and it would be hard to see another actor compare to his performance.
One would be that some of the Jersey accents were not the best I have heard at the start and it definitely took some of the actors a couple of numbers to refine their voice for the duration of the show. But towards the end of act one and into act two they really sounded like Jersey boys.
Musical numbers:
ACT ONE
-Ces Soirees-La (Oh What a Night) - Paris 2000 - French rap star, backup group
- Silhoutettes - Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi, Nick Devito, Frankie Castellucio
- You're the Apple of My Eye - Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi, Nick Devito
- I Can't Give You Anything But Love - Frankie Castellucio
- Earth Angel - Tommy Devito, full company
- Sunday Kind of Love - Franki Valli, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi, Nick's date
- My Mother's Eyes - Frankie Valli
- I Go Ape - The Four Lovers
- (Who Wears) Short Shorts - The Royal Teens
- I'm in the Mood for Love/Moody's Mood for Love - Frankie Valli
- Cry for Me - Bob Gaudio, Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi
- An Angel Cried - Hal Miller and The Rays
- I Still Care - Miss Frankie Nolan and The Romans
- Trance - Billy Dixon and The Topix
- Sherry - The Four Seasons
- Big Girls Don't Cry - The Four Seasons
- Walk Like A Man - The Four Seasons
- December 1963 (Oh What a Night) - Bob Gaudio, full company
- My Boyfriend's Back - The Angels
- My Eyes Adored You - Frankie Valli, Mary Delgado, The Four Seasons
- Dawn, Go Away - The Four Seasons
- Walk Like a Man (reprise) - full company
ACT TWO
- Big Man in Town - The Four Seasons
- Beggin' - The Four Seasons
- Stay - Bob Gaudio, Frankie Valli, Nick Massi
- Let's Hang On (to What We've Got) - Bob Gaudio, Frankie Valli
- Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me) - Bob Gaudio, Frankie Valli, and The New Seasons
- Bye Bye Baby - Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
- C'mon Marianne - Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
- Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli
- Working My Way Back to You - Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
- Fallen Angel - Frankie Valli
- Rag Doll - The Four Seasons
- Who Loves You? - The Four Seasons, full company
Jersey Boys is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday July 26 until Saturday August 6.
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