SINCE 2008, The Jersey Boys has been taking the West End by storm, garnering rave reviews, an Olivier Award for best new musical and reigniting the public’s love of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
New Jersey Nights similarly celebrates the band’s impressive back catalogue, but lacks the engaging narrative and flawless musicality.
The four tribute singers, Damion Scarcella, Ricky Rojas, Jon Hawkins and Duncan Heather, rather surprisingly manage to hit the astronomical high notes that are a staple of Valli’s performances. However, they don’t always capture the crispness of the original tracks.
Nevertheless, more often than not, they deliver the iconographic tight harmonies in slower numbers such as Silence Is Golden and high energy songs such as December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night).
New Jersey Nights is the perfect example of gilding the lily. The production is plagued by a troupe of six dancers who distract for all the wrong reasons. The boys have more than enough energy, charisma and style to carry the performance, rendering the dancers unwarranted.
Don’t expect an insight into the men behind the music or flawless musicianship, but do go ready to sing and dance along with your favourite tunes, and you shouldn’t be disappointed.
New Jersey Nights, Grand Opera House, York. Tonight 7.30pm. Tickets: 0844 8713024
- Stephanie Faye Bartlett
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here