The drama, emotion and humour of the Jersey Boys told brilliantly

OUR REVIEWER STEPPED BACK IN TIME TO SEE THE JERSEY BOYS AT THE THEATRE ROYAL

WHILE this musical favourite has been doing the rounds for years, I’d never seen it and, beyond the name, knew little of Frankie Valli, the singer at the heart of the story (who, I know now, is still alive – aged 84).

But over the course of two and a half hours, I learned plenty about the professional and muddied personal life of the man – even the reason he spelled his adopted surname with an ‘i’ – and realised just how many of the Jersey Boys’ hits I knew, and liked.

This detail comes gradually, drip-fed in a tale that charts the band through its early incarnations, name change from The Lovers and a hard-earned rise to fame. It took me a while to establish who was who in the first half, as the musical canters along while founder band members Tommy DeVito, played with style by Simon Bailey, and Nick Massi (Lewis Griffiths) recruit new blood in the form of Frankie Valli and Bobby Gaudio.

And it is the vocal abilities of Valli, captured by Michael Watson, and the writing talent of Gaudio (Declan Egan) – a man shown to be more comfortable with lyrics than with performing – that lit the touch-paper to success.

Valli’s falsetto in the string of hits written by Gaudio helped create the memorable sound of the 60s and 70s in the likes of Sherry, Big Girl’s Don’t Cry and Walk Like A Man which had the Theatre Royal audience clapping along on Wednesday night.

And the songs tie in nicely with the story that takes in criminal associations, secret debt, family troubles and affairs over a rollercoaster career that is divided up time-wise into four seasons and ends in the band’s break-up.

There is humour along the way too and I particularly liked Griffiths’ stoical Nick who reveals how he’s been quietly harbouring a grudge when years of pent-up grievances come gushing out as he finally reaches his limit.

The central four are all at the top of their game, while the rest of the ensemble cast of characters – which includes a young Joe Pesci; the story revealing a surprise early connection with the actor – and the on-stage band are polished and pitch-perfect.

The real stars of the show has to be those songs which are its beating heart: from the soaringly upbeat Oh What A Night to the beautiful My Eyes Adore You. Strands of the tale all come together in the second act.

The industrious-looking staging and set – metal stairs, walkways, rehearsal rooms and back-stage areas – are given a welcome blast of showbiz glitz when, having gone their separate ways, the original four come together in the story for a sparkly reunion gig.

And this fitting send-off won a standing ovation from the audience who were with the cast every rock ‘n’ roll step of the way.