The smash-hit songs flow thick and fast as the remarkable story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons unfolds in Musical Theatre Dunedin’s production of Jersey Boys.
Based on a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe, Jersey Boys is an award-winning Broadway musical that dramatises the formation, success and eventual break-up of the 1960s group renowned for its vocal harmonies.
On Saturday night, a large Regent Theatre audience was wowed by the fast-paced spectacular show, directed by Stephen Robertson and musical director Stuart Walker, with vocal direction by Arlie McCormick, and production manager Heidi Hayward.
At its heart, Jersey Boys is about a quartet of talented young guys who go from singing together under street lamps in Jersey to international fame, with ups and downs along the way.
In those central roles are four supremely talented performers, led by Max Beal in spectacularly fine voice as Frankie Valli, Greg MacLeod as Tommy DeVito, Ben Thomas as Bob Gaudio and Justin Wilson as Nick Massi.
Working together brilliantly as a team, they bring each of their characters to life, while giving excellent performances of hit song after hit song, including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like a Man, December 1963 (Oh, What a Night), My Eyes Adored You, Stay, Bye Bye Baby, Working My Way Back to You, and Who Loves You.
Fellow principal cast members Ben Hayward, Peter Hocking, Steve Jones, Ben Johnson, Charlotte McKay, Sophie Whibley, Hayley Lyndom and Jack Archibals provide sterling support in a variety of roles — from gangsters to music producers.
The energetic ensemble also includes Dominic Edmond, Zara Anthony-Whigham, Lexie Tomlinson, Makensie Waddell and George Keen — all in fine voice.
The performers are accompanied throughout by a superb 10-piece band, conducted by Stuart Walker, and comprising Mark Wigglesworth, Tobias Devereux, Walker, Che Long, Joseph Balfe, Sam Healey, Nick Cornish , Jim Mackay, Ralph Miller and Scott Ke.
The set is simple but effective, easily transforming from a street corner to a recording studio or a nightclub stage, and costumes are also on point, taking the group from jeans and shirts to full-on sparkle.
All in all, Jersey Boys is a fantastic show, hugely entertaining and filled with great music.
Jersey Boys continues at the Regent Theatre until Saturday night.
