Catherine Bennett resumes the weekly look at the performing arts world, with the sad end of Jerusalem, the luck of a cabbie, and French revolt. Do you hear the people sing?
Adam Alcock reviews Nigel Kennedy playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons and his own Four Elements at York Opera House.
Catherine Bennett highlights the trends in the performing arts world today.
Jonathan Cridford reviews 'Ghosts', one of the Freshers' plays for this year.
In fact, one of the biggest surprises about the smash-hit West End musical Jersey Boys is how many songs you can sing along to, so that it’s a musical both you and people of your parents’ generation can enjoy. Given the success of We Will Rock You, Mamma Mia and other so-called ‘jukebox musicals’, it appears that audiences love the shows where they already know the songs. It’s almost a sing-a-long experience before the actual sing-a-long version is launched.
It had already been playing at the Prince Edward Theatre for a year after its transference from Broadway, when the cast of Jersey Boys all agreed to sign up for another year. This enthusiasm for the production is evident in the performances not only by the main four, but also by the rest of the supporting players. Although the West End show employs an entirely British cast, all have got the distinctive New Jersey accent down to a tee so that you are immersed in ‘Jersey culture’ from the minute Tommy DeVito (Glenn Carter) opens his mouth to begin the story.
The story is truly an incredible one. Founding members Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi realised the only way to stop going around in the revolving prison door was through their music. First they found Frankie Valli who “had the voice of an angel”. Then they came across teenage wunderkind and song writing “genius”, Bob Gaudio, and so The Four Seasons were born. The show is full of smart and sassy dialogue, and the script is genuinely funny. But while those songs are playing, you feel like you have been transported back to the ‘60s, and The Four Seasons are performing just for you.
Because The Four Seasons had such a unique musical style, it was crucial the producers found an actor who could match the amazing vocal range of Frankie Valli, lead singer of the group. Luckily for the producers they found Ryan Molloy, who successfully makes the songs his own without doing an imitation of Frankie Valli, and yet he still does justice to the original.
The rest of The Four Seasons aren’t hidden away in the wings, as each member gets the chance to tell their story. The show is split into four sections – spring, summer, autumn and winter (the four seasons, get it?) – and each section brings a new angle to the story of the band that went through many incarnations before they became The Four Seasons of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
After winning an Olivier Award for Best New Musical and receiving much critical acclaim, Jersey Boys is a show that is a pleasant surprise. Much more than a jukebox musical, it is simply a celebration of a band that produced some of the most recognisable songs of the 20th century. Go on, see how many you recognise...
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