The Story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
Book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice – Music by
Bob Gaudio – Lyrics by Bob Crewe
Directed by Des McAnuff – Choreographed by Sergio
Trujillo
Set designed by Klara Zieglerova - Costumes designed
by Jess Goldstein
Lighting designed by Howell Brinkley - Sound designed
by Steve Canyon Kennedy
Capitol Theatre Sydney until 9th December,
2018
Opening night performance on 6th September
reviewed by Bill Stephens
“Oh What a Night”! Based on the true-life story of four guys from
the wrong side of the tracks who rose to fame as The Four Seasons to become one
of the most successful bands in pop music history, “Jersey Boys” was given a
resounding welcome back to Sydney by an enthusiastic capacity audience on opening night. And no wonder.
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| Glaston Toff (Nick Massi) - Ryan Gonzales (Frankie Valli) - Thomas McGuane (Bob Gaudio) Cameron McDonald (Tommy DeVito) in "JERSEY BOYS" |
“Jersey Boys” has a
score fashioned from songs which sold 175 million records worldwide,
among them Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”,
Walk Like a Man, Big Girls Don’t Cry” and the song that stopped the show on
opening night, Sherry. It has a compelling story told in four parts
(or seasons), from the selective recollections and perspectives of each member
of the band.
It has a terrific cast led by Ryan Gonzalez as Frankie
Valli, Cameron MacDonald, as Tommy De Vito, Thomas McGuane as Bob Gaudio, and
Glaston Toft as Nick Massi, the four young men from New Jersey, who between
bouts in prison, become The Four Seasons who
eventually ended up being inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
 |
| Thomas McGuane (Bob Gaudio) - Ryan Gonzales (Franki Vallie) - Cameron McDonald (Tommy DeVito) Glaston Toff (Nick Massi) - THE JERSEY BOYS |
Tommy De Vito gets to tell his side of the story
first, and Cameron Macdonald is brilliant as the rat-cunning, likeable con-man
who claims credit for the quartet. Thomas McGuane makes an impressive career
debut as the smooth, charismatic composer, Bob Gaudio, who contradicts De
Vito’s version, and eventually out-maneuvers De Vito for control of the group.
Returning in the role of Nick Massi, which he played in the original Australian
production of “Jersey Boys”, Glaston Toft brought the house down with his
dummy-spit about having to share a room on tour with De Vito.
But its Frankie Valli’s distinctive falsetto voice which
separates The Four Seasons from their competitors, and on opening night Ryan
Gonzalez, a rather serious Valli, nailed the sound with laser beam accuracy, raising
the hairs on the back of the neck, as the band discovers the sound which will
propel it to fame, if not fortune.
Under Des McAnuff’s direction, the show moves along at
an exhilarating pace. Set pieces slide
in and out, the multiple costume changes are accomplished almost imperceptibly
as the characters move between the key
moments depicting the various events which led to the rise and eventual
disintegration of the original Four Seasons.
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| The Jersey Boys |
Snappy, tightly rehearsed choreography, a string of
instantly recognizable songs, a red-hot band and a well-cast, talented supporting
cast add to the excitement. Cristina
D’Agostino, who plays Valli’s first wife, Mary Delgado, and together with Mia
Dabkowski-Chandler and McKenzie Dunn, miraculously recreate all the other women
in their lives, is a stand-out. Enrico Mammarella as the sentimental crime
boss, Gyp DeCarlo, and Glenn Hill as the shrewd record producer, Bob Crewe,
both impress as they join Luigi Lucente, Scott McConnell, Josh Mulheran and
Rutene Spooner to create the army of other male characters necessary to the
telling this remarkable journey.
Watching this iteration of “Jersey Boys” it’s
easy to see why this show has remained such a trail blazer in the bio-musical
oeuvre. This mint-condition production will provide a whole new generation with
the opportunity to become swept up in a timeless show about four guys from the
wrong side of the tracks who learned how to make beautiful music.Photos: Jeff Busby
This review also published in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW. www.artsreview.com.au
