(The rousing finale of “Jersey Boys”. Photo: Maye-E
Wong)
“Jersey Boys” was definitely worth the wait
– a superb world class production! (Review by Caroline Smart)
Six years in the planning, Jersey Boys had its South African
premiere at the Teatro at Montecasino this evening where it is set to run over
the next few months until it moves to Artscape in Cape Town in mid-June.
When a production is hailed at such a high
level as this one has been, it’s always a concern that it will not live up to
its hype. Absolutely no fear of that here. With its all-South African cast, the
newest Broadway musical to be staged in South Africa is a true-life story of Frankie Valli, Bob
Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi who wrote their own songs, invented their
own sounds and sold 175 million records globally – all before they were thirty!
The time is 1962. In the United States –
the tough world of Newark, New Jersey, to be precise. Where, if you kill
someone, you have to shoot the witnesses, too! Four young men calling
themselves the Four Seasons from the poverty line are struggling to get their
music out to the public. Suddenly everything clicks and they blast onto the
music scene with a number called Sherry.
This was their first charted hit and their first number one song and it was to
form a major turning point in their careers.
Handling the roles of this world-famous
group with strong energy, artistry and emotional understanding are highly-experienced
performers who are well-known on South African stage and screen. With his extensive
vocal range – including the requisite falsetto - Grant Almirall is a knockout
as Frankie Valli. Daniel Buys is the volatile Tommy DeVito who started the
group and changed its name numerous times! Kenneth Meyer is the disarming pianist
child prodigy, Bob Gaudio, who composed the Four Seasons songs. Emmanuel Castis
is perfectly cast as the laid-back bass player, Nick Massi, who made a major
contribution to the band’s unmistakable sound.
The supporting cast multi-tasks and there
are some excellent performances. Special mention must be made of Charlie Bouguenon
as a suitably sinister gangland boss and Duane Alexander in a highly amusing
portrayal of Bob Crewe. Matt Counihan is a delight as the garrulous Joe Pesci.
On the female side, there’s Carmen Pretorius (Lorraine) and Taryn-Lee Hudson (Mary)
as the two women in Franky Valli’s life and Kirsten Murphy-Rossiter (Francine).
Jaco van Rensburg will play Frankie Valli at certain performances.
The musical follows the individual and
collective ups and downs of the group and the script is full of clever humour.
There are some beautifully poignant scenes amid the powerhouse pop numbers.
It’s a superb world-class production from all
aspects - performance, musical, design and technical, with scene changes moving
so swiftly they are almost imperceptible. All kudos to resident director Anton
Luitingh and Bryan Schimmel, musical supervisor (SA).
Expect to hear great renditions of Big Girls Don’t Cry, Can’t Take My Eyes Off
You, Rag Doll, Fallen Angel, Bye Bye Baby, My Eyes Adored You and many, many
more.
Written by Academy Award-winner Marshall
Brickman and Rick Elice with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe, Jersey Boys is the winner of 54 major
awards. It is directed by two-time Tony® Award winner Des McAnuff and
choreographed by Sergio Trujillo with music direction, vocal arrangements and
incidental music by Ron Melrose. The production design team is Klara Zieglerova
(Scenic Designer); Jess Goldstein (Costume Designer); Howell Binkley (Lighting
Designer); Steve Orich (Orchestrator) and Michael Clark (Projection Designer).
The show is produced by Hazel Feldman of Showtime Management and presented by Investec in
association with DSTV, Tsogo Sun, 702 Talk Radio, and Avis. Booking is at
Computicket. There are good value Show & Stay packages including
accommodation and breakfast at the three Montecasino-based Tsogo Sun hotels or
to enjoy a special night of great entertainment including theatre tickets,
dining, gaming and added benefits. Visit www.montecasino.co.za
My strong advice is - don’t miss this show!
I would also suggest that you buy a programme. Apart from being a
richly visual and beautifully laid-out publication, it is worth buying for its interesting
content. – Caroline Smart
For further information visit www.jerseyboyssa.co.za or Twitter: https://twitter.com/JerseyBoysSA, Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JerseyBoysSA/425649164133222
or YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H78l0ArPEiY
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