#1
Posted: 10/5/05 at 12:58am
I'll cut right to the chase: This show is good; very, very good. The authors have taken a compelling show business rags-to-riches-back-to-to-rags-back-to-more-riches story and interpolated most of the Four Seasons big hits (as well as a bunch of spiffy doo-wop tunes originally performed by others) into a fast-moving, toe-tapping, great-big Broadway show. Add to that a stage-full of superb performances and you have, what should be, the first hit musical of the new season.
A quick disclaimer: I am 'of a certain age', which means I am old enough to have seen Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons back in the mid 70's. Also, I hated Mamma Mia and skipped All Shook Up, Lennon, Movin' Out, and Good Vibrations so my experience with 'jukebox musicals' is limited. I am much more of the Gypsy/South Pacific/Hello, Dolly! school of musical comedy.
Having said that, there is a ton of music and a great deal of comedy in Jersey Boys. The book avoids most of the struggling-to-make-it-big clichés. There is a lot of exposition early in Act I, but it's well punctuated with a slew of great songs which keep things moving until, 45 minutes into the show, the group (and the show) explodes with the group’s first big-hit 'Sherry'. If you go in knowing anything about the Four Seasons, you'll feel a sense of anticipation in the moments immediately leading up to that number, akin to that which precedes Dolly's appearance at the top of the stairs at the Harmonia Gardens.
This brings me to the clever direction of Des McAnuff. Yes, he manipulates the audience (what director doesn't?) and you'll find yourself pulled inexorably the way he wants you to be pulled. You'll find yourself clapping along (even this jaded New Yorker joined in), shedding a tear at certain times, and even laughing uproariously at the dumbest sight gag involving a neon sign above a bowling alley. Trust me, it's futile to fight, just surrender and go along for the ride.
And what a ride it is. Led by the remarkable John Lloyd Young in his Broadway debut, the cast is first rate. The other three 'seasons' are equally terrifc. J. Robert Spencer, Christian Hoff, and Daniel Reichard create three-dimensional, believable (if sometimes over the top) characters. As a testament to our caring about each of them, as each character leaves the stage at the end of the show, they received a heartfelt round of applause from the audience. The supporting cast is a talented, charismatic group.
For those of us who remember the Four Seasons, the sound these boys create is uncanny. Especially (for me) in 'Walk Like A Man', you can close your eyes and have the past 40 years melt away. But keep your eyes open, you won't want to miss a moment of Jersey Boys.
A quick disclaimer: I am 'of a certain age', which means I am old enough to have seen Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons back in the mid 70's. Also, I hated Mamma Mia and skipped All Shook Up, Lennon, Movin' Out, and Good Vibrations so my experience with 'jukebox musicals' is limited. I am much more of the Gypsy/South Pacific/Hello, Dolly! school of musical comedy.
Having said that, there is a ton of music and a great deal of comedy in Jersey Boys. The book avoids most of the struggling-to-make-it-big clichés. There is a lot of exposition early in Act I, but it's well punctuated with a slew of great songs which keep things moving until, 45 minutes into the show, the group (and the show) explodes with the group’s first big-hit 'Sherry'. If you go in knowing anything about the Four Seasons, you'll feel a sense of anticipation in the moments immediately leading up to that number, akin to that which precedes Dolly's appearance at the top of the stairs at the Harmonia Gardens.
This brings me to the clever direction of Des McAnuff. Yes, he manipulates the audience (what director doesn't?) and you'll find yourself pulled inexorably the way he wants you to be pulled. You'll find yourself clapping along (even this jaded New Yorker joined in), shedding a tear at certain times, and even laughing uproariously at the dumbest sight gag involving a neon sign above a bowling alley. Trust me, it's futile to fight, just surrender and go along for the ride.
And what a ride it is. Led by the remarkable John Lloyd Young in his Broadway debut, the cast is first rate. The other three 'seasons' are equally terrifc. J. Robert Spencer, Christian Hoff, and Daniel Reichard create three-dimensional, believable (if sometimes over the top) characters. As a testament to our caring about each of them, as each character leaves the stage at the end of the show, they received a heartfelt round of applause from the audience. The supporting cast is a talented, charismatic group.
For those of us who remember the Four Seasons, the sound these boys create is uncanny. Especially (for me) in 'Walk Like A Man', you can close your eyes and have the past 40 years melt away. But keep your eyes open, you won't want to miss a moment of Jersey Boys.
'Our whole family shouts. It comes from us livin' so close to the railroad tracks'
Updated On: 10/14/05 at 12:58 AM
