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Review of New Jersey Nights at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR THE PUBLIC REVIEWS. 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. Co...