Skeptical Blogger Surprised by Jersey Boys in Melbourne!
November 17th, 2009
The Should I See it blogger admits skepticism about seeing Jersey Boys and was convinced that four guys standing behind microphones could not make a good musical.
The blogger admits that he was glad to be wrong!
It’s premise, we are told in the opening by Tommy DeVito: “You ask four guys how it happened, you get four different versions.†What results is an energetic, fast paced, entertaining night at the theatre. It is full of songs you didn’t know you knew.
At the centre of the show are four wonderful performances. Gareth Keegan as Frankie Valli seamlessly transforms from wide eyed innocent to strong, independent leader. Stephen Mahy is incredibly warm as a softer spoke Bob Gaudio, the writing talent that drove The Four Seasons to the top of the charts. Glaston Toft, as mostly silent Nick Massi, can certainly tell a joke. But the real star is Scott Johnson, who has the shows best role as trouble maker Tommy DeVito. He gets the best lines, the best story arc, and Johnson carries it all with a bravado you can help but like. The chemistry between the four leads is crucial. There’s something about the four of them together that is believable.
But the magic really begins when they sing together. They blend magnificently producing a full, smooth sound. My favorite scene would be funnily enough, the first time they sing together. There is a simplicity to the staging of “Cry for Me†that lets the vocals shine, and gets to the heart of what Jersey Boys is about: the music.
Read the full fantastic review on the Should I See It blog!
