Jersey Boys opened in Cardiff at the Wales Millenium Centre last night and all I can say is Oh, What a Night.
For a theatre lover who had not seen Jersey Boys before, it truly lived up to its reputation as a “jukebox musical”. Featuring most of The Four Seasons top hits over the years, each musical number left the audience ecstatic and the theatre flooded with applause.
The musical follows the lives of The Four Seasons (or Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons as they were later known) and documents their rise to success from the streets of New Jersey. With the set being simple yet effective and the lighting (set design by Klara Zieglerova, lighting by Howell Binkley) cleverly understated, the focus is almost entirely on the small but versatile cast, but also sets the tone of the musical and highlights the storyline to the audience.
An honourable mention has to be made to Michael Pickering, who plays lead singer Frankie Valli. His musical talent (especially his falsetto, a trademark of the real Frankie Valli) is one not to be missed and is an absolute tribute to the real Four Seasons. The rest of the band are incredibly talented too, and their enthusiasm and chemistry on-stage as a four really makes the musical. Blair Gibson is Bob Gaudio, Christopher Short plays Nick Massi and Dalton Wood is Tommy Devito.
You can meet the entire cast and crew and find out more about the tour HERE.
The use of instruments on-stage is another element of the show that I found impressive. This, along with the versatility of the cast, created a seamless performance that had you completely invested in the storyline – only forced to take a break from staring at the stage during the interval.
If you haven’t already – or even if you have – you need to go and see Jersey Boys. It’s at the Wales Millenium Centre with matinee and evening performances until Saturday 22nd April.
To get your tickets or to find out more information, visit the WMC’s website.