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'No other voice quite like Frankie Valli': Review of Jersey Boys at the King's Theatre in Glasgow

'No other voice quite like Frankie Valli': Review of Jersey Boys at the King's Theatre in Glasgow
'No other voice quite like Frankie Valli': Review of Jersey Boys at the King's Theatre in Glasgow

Verdict: Five stars

No matter how many times you see Jersey Boys live on stage, you can't help but be impressed by this musical extravaganza.

For one, there is no other voice quite like Frankie Valli. Who else can hit those jaw-dropping notes?

And then there is the music. It never dates. You move, smile and sing to every note of Bob Gaudio's lyrics.

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Glasgow Times:
Glasgow Times:

And when you throw in friendship, tragedy and honour at the heart of the story, it creates theatrics to make Jersey Boys the perfect stage show.

The Jersey Boys are Frankie Valli (Michael Pickering), Nick Massi (Lewis Griffiths), Bob Gaudio (Blair Gibson) and Tommy DeVito (Dalton Wood).

Their story is how they became the Four Seasons from their humble beginnings in New Jersey to their rise to chart fame.

Each Jersey boy takes on a narrator role bringing the audience into the heart of their story. This works so well because you find yourself empathising with each character.

Frankie is a teen star with a voice like no other. Played so well by Pickering, that voice is instantly recognisable creating magic with each note he achieves. Pickering also offered depth as an actor showing the singer transitioning into adulthood when he faces both heartache and tragedy. The emotion on stage was raw and Pickering could switch easily between the dramatics of these points of the storylines and the fun the performances demanded.

Griffiths is a veteran in the role and it showed. He has appeared in several touring productions of Jersey Boys and portrays smooth Nick effortlessly. He was hilarious throughout and offers vocals that add to that Jersey Boys sound.

Wise guy De Vito was captured perfectly by Wood. He had the swagger needed for the role and brought plenty of laughs. While Gibson pulled off arguably the brains of the operation as Gaudio as he captured his almost geek like approach to lyrics to a tee.

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Together the Jersey Boys created magic harmonising their vocals, producing slick moves and entertaining the audience from start to finish. They had the chemistry needed for the audience to believe in their story.

And with songs like Walk Like A Man, Sherry, Can't Take My Eyes Off You and Working My Way Back to You, it's hard not to love this show.

Jersey Boys is a musical you can watch over and over again - and it's safe to say as it approaches its two-decade anniversary - it first launched in 2004 - audiences will continue to be entertained by four men who made a sound like no other for many years to come.

Watch Jersey Boys at the King's Theatre until Saturday, May 7.

For tickets, visit www.atgtickets.com