REVIEW: Jersey Boys
Image: Photo: Jeff Busby
This is the story of four young sons of Italian immigrants coming of age in 1960s New Jersey, in the bad part of town (doing time in jail was just part of growing up), forming a band and ultimately becoming Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons, one of the most successful pop groups of all time.
Jersey Boys is a jukebox musical but one where the songs are used organically, a natural part of the narrative, rather than being awkwardly imposed on an irrelevant story. Each band member contributes to telling the story, a chronological biography punctuated by performances of the big hits where they appear in the timeline.
The cast is very strong and aptly chosen, making them believable as the four Jersey Boys of the title. Ryan Gonzalez is Frankie Valli, diminutive in stature but with a voice twice his size, and pulling off the famous falsetto impressively. Thomas McGuane is the sensitive songwriting genius Bob Gaudio; blue-eyed and innocent with an angelic voice. Glaston Toft plays Nick Massi, the tall, comic bass player and bass singer and Cameron MacDonald is the shifty, brash, street wise Tommy Devito who feels like he stepped out of a frame from Goodfellas. They are all really tight, both in song performances and the quick dialogue in between.
It’s a pared back production with a minimal, industrial looking set, simple choreography and few big effects. It relies a lot on the timeless appeal of the songs themselves, and the outstanding renditions by the cast, each of which brings spontaneous, lengthy cheers and applause from the hyped up audience. Purists argue that this is not truly a “musical” by definition, but fans of good music, wit and feel-good entertainment won’t mind.
Until Dec 9. Caption Theatre, 13 Campbell St, Haymarket. $69-$150+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.capitoltheatre.com.au
Reviewed by Rita Bratovich
