JERSEY BOYS UK Tour 2017/2018
JERSEY BOYS, at Milton Keynes Theatre, until Saturday 3 February, stars as Frankie Valli Michael Watson, (We Will Rock You, original London casts of Imagine This, Sister Act and Shrek the Musical). Simon Bailey as Tommy De Vito,(The Phantom of the Opera, I Can’t Sing: The X Factor Musical and We Will Rock You).
JERSEY BOYS UK Tour 2017/2018
On the night that I saw the show James Winter did a fine job standing in as Bob Gaudio as did Karl James Wilson as Nick Massi. Michael and Simon have previously performed their roles in JERSEY BOYS in the West End to great acclaim.
JERSEY BOYS first opened in London at the Prince Edward Theatre on 18 March 2008 and moved to the Piccadilly Theatre in March 2014. The Olivier Award-winning West End production closed on Sunday 26 March 2017 and the first UK & Ireland Tour of JERSEY BOYS was a record-breaking success and ran for 18 months, this being the 2nd tour of the show looks as though it will have a similar success
JERSEY BOYS is the remarkable true story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and their rise to stardom from the wrong side of the tracks. These four boys from New Jersey became one of the most successful bands in pop history, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and sold 175 million records worldwide, all before they turned 30. The show is packed with their hits, including Beggin’, Sherry, Walk Like A Man, December, 1963 (Oh What a Night), Big Girls Don’t Cry, My Eyes Adored You, Let’s Hang On (To What We’ve Got), Bye Bye Baby, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Working My Way Back to You, Fallen Angel, Rag Doll and Who Loves You.
JERSEY BOYS UK Tour 2017/2018
Winner of Broadway’s Tony, London’s Olivier and Australia’s Helpmann Awards for Best New Musical, JERSEY BOYS is the winner of 57 major awards worldwide and has been seen by over 25 million people worldwide. JERSEY BOYS first opened in London at the Prince Edward Theatre on 18 March 2008 and moved to the Piccadilly Theatre in March 2014. The Olivier Award-winning West End production closed on Sunday 26 March 2017 and the first UK & Ireland Tour of JERSEY BOYS was a record-breaking success and ran for 18 months, this being the 2nd tour of the show looks as though it will have a similar success
JERSEY BOYS is written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe. The UK & Ireland Tour production is staged by the entire original Broadway creative team, led by director Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo.
JERSEY BOYS is at Milton Keynes Theatre, until Saturday 3 February
Box Office: 0844 870 0887 or online: www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
JERSEY BOYS UK Tour 2017/2018
Ernie Almond went along on Wednesday, and these were his thoughts:
The set, which is on show as the audience arrives is reminiscent of West Side Story with its high wire fences and metal gantries – but of course the music is so very different to that! Speaking of the music, it was very good to see live musicians on stage as part of the show – albeit helped here and there by some very good click tracks. The arrangements and the vocalisation by this talented cast I’m sure not only pleased the packed house of Frankie Valli fans, but the old man himself – not that Mr Valli senior was in attendance!
I have to be honest, I’ve seen more sparkling performances of Jersey Boys, but the voices were as good as ever, even if the “boys” are now nearer 40 than 30 let alone the 16yr olds they are supposed to portray at the beginning.
The set worked well and the scene changes handled with the help of cast members were efficient and happened smoothly before our eyes. I would take to task set designer Klara Zieglerova and costume designer Jess Goldstein for the finale though. Mainly a grey and white set with some spectacular lighting effects (mainly white), all very well you might think, but the principal cast were by that time in grey suits! They all but disappeared, not helped by the fact that the whole show came to an end with the cast wandering off in all directions waving to the audience.
Ernie Almond
JERSEY BOYS is at Milton Keynes Theatre, until Saturday 3 February
Box Office: 0844 870 0887 or online: www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
