Since its inception on
Broadway in 2005 and subsequent tours across the world, the musical Jersey Boys has popularised the music of
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons for a very new generation and refreshed it
for the old. As an effect of this New
Jersey Nights has been born.
Cynically this could be
regarded as a cheap cash in for those revitalised new and old fans and when
first entering the theatre the stage set could suggest that. Comprising of a
bland makeshift bar set-up (backboards on wheels portraying the walls, a bar
and to the right a table and chairs), it doesn't look particularly inviting.
However as the four piece band take their places, initially behind the bar
walls and a lone barman fiddles with the vintage radio for a signal, the stage
soon becomes alive.
First the six dancers take to the stage dancing to a none Frankie Valli song
and then the Four Seasons themselves take to the stage. Consisting of Damion
Scarcella, Jonathan Hawkins, Adam Dougal and William Hazell, they immediately
make an impressive impact with their lively rendition of “Oh What A Night”. The
bulk of the more familiar songs to most are performed during the first act
including the very finely performed “Sherry” where Sarcella clearly shows he
can hit them important Valli high notes. Breaking up the songs the boys offer snippets
of random facts about the group which for the best part are fillers and do
suggest that the show is trying to be Jersey
Boys rather than stand on its own two solid feet. There is also some
attempted interaction with the audience, some more successful than others and
some random jokes which occasionally work, but often don’t (it is doubtful
anyone other than the boys mixed up One Direction with The Beatles). There is
also a somewhat uncomfortable joke about Phil Spector, however this does manage
to introduce one of the highlights of the show, as the previously dancing
ladies take over stage as The Ronettes. Rachel Varney, Robyn Ford and Marianne
Prinelle give impressive performances of “Be My Baby” and “Da Do Ron Ron” and
while it would not be in keeping with the show, it actually would have been
nice to have heard more from these.
The dancers are generally
well choreographed by Emma Rogers although at times you feel they could dance a
bit bigger and fill the stage more. Also during one of the early set changes
they become totally pointless and a distraction as they pace around with
clipboard and brooms depicting staff of a recording studio. The band also while
being quite small in their number, do fill the theatre well with sound and are
excellent throughout.
Returning to the Four Seasons
however, the four performers work well as a team with no one consistently being
Valli. Scarcella is clearly the performer who presents his famous high notes
the best, while Hawkins feels the best singer of the four. Hazell however has
the greatest presence on the stage, and actually makes the conversations with
the audience work. His performance in the second act of “Earth Angel” with Dean
Mongerio on sax is both funny and superbly vocalised. “Earth Angel” is one of
several songs in the second act which have limited connection with Valli and
while most are well performed they do appear fillers at times. Also in the
second half on the evening there was a starting key issue at the start of “Blue
Moon” from Dougal which was described as a mistake by the boys and if it was,
they covered the mistake very professionally and it did ironically become a
highlight of the evening with the crowd. (I have later learned that this "mistake" happened again on the Friday performace. However is was a fine little part of the show and like a lot of "ad-libbling", sometimes oddly enough if these are actually rehearsed scenes it does not impact negatively.)
The final few songs return to
Valli classics with a great highlight being “Grease” performed with style by
Hazell complete in his Zuko leather. With a final medley mega mix, those that
are willing or (creaky bones allowing) able are up on their feet by the end and revelling in the
classic tunes. This is what this show is all about, this is not a musical in
anyway like Jersey Boys but a loving concert
dedicated to those classic songs and while the ticket prices are a little steep
for what is just a tribute act, one which if you are a fan of this music are
unlikely to be disappointed with.
[rating:3.5/5]
Performance reviewed: Monday 15th September, 2014 at the Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton.
New Jersey Nights performed at the Royal & Derngate (Derngate) between Monday 15th September 2014 and Saturday 20th September 2014 and have now completed their current UK tour. A tour of China will begin later this year.
For further details visit the website at http://www.newjerseynights.com/