Review: Jersey Boys

My grandchildren, bless the little blighters, refer to the time when I was their age as ‘the black and white days’. My eldest grandson reaches 14 years of age in a few weeks. One of the hazy memories I have of when I was 14 was of dancing at the school disco (it was the 1970s) One of the first songs I danced to was December ’63 (Oh What a Night) by The Four Seasons.

Now, more than 40 years later, that same song resonated once again as I watched Jersey Boys - a musical based on the story of the Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons - at the Edinburgh Playhouse. 

The show begins at the beginning of the swinging 1960s and is the story of how four young lads with musical talent from New Jersey in the USA would become one of the biggest and most popular pop bands of that decade – and beyond. However, don’t be fooled by the Four Seasons initial clean cut image. As the story demonstrates, the foursome endure struggles with arguments, fights and even prison in an almost cliched tale of sex and drugs and rock and roll. The show tells their story over the ensuing decades, a story of success, debts, relationships and tragedy. 

What underlines their remarkable story, however, is the steadfast loyalty the boys show to each other, through thick and thin – even when one of the band walks out vowing never to return… 

While I can’t say I was ever a huge fan of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, Jersey Boys is worth seeing.  Like the best of these shows, the story moves swiftly, and this is perhaps what the audience want – they want to hear those songs that are part of their lives and which bring back so many memories. In this respect the show doesn’t disappoint. 'Sherry', 'Walk Like A Man’, ‘Big Girls Don't Cry', 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' and, of course 'December 1963 (Oh What a Night)' soon had the audience tapping their feet. The early part of the show also includes some lesser known songs which are every bit as good as the big hits.

The production is top notch and there are some striking visual effects, based on the industrial architecture of New Jersey and the impressive use of light adds to the atmosphere of the show.

The cast are quite superb. Michael Watson has the role of Frankie Valli and he gives an astonishingly powerful performance. If you close your eyes you might think it’s actually Frankie on the stage. Simon Bailey plays the cheeky chappy role of Tommy Devito and it is Devito’s sometimes-reckless attitude that leads to spiralling debts and threatens the band. There are also fine performances from Declan Egan as Bob Gaudio and Lewis Griffiths as Nick Massi.

With over 30 songs brilliantly performed by a sterling energetic cast, Jersey Boys is a hugely enjoyable show. A wee word of warning, though. If your emotions are prone to get the better of you it’s advisable to take a packet of tissues for the second act! 

The show is on until the weekend after next and you’re guaranteed a night to remember – oh, what a night!

Jersey Boys is on at the Edinburgh Playhouse from until Saturday 2 March 2019.

Four Years On

This day in 2015 was quite a memorable one for the Auld Reekie Ranter. Hearts defeated Livingston 1-0 at Tynecastle thanks to a Jamie Walker goal to go an astonishing 20 points clear in the Championship. Edinburgh was full of Welsh people about to descend on Murrayfield for their Six Nations rugby match with Scotland. And a couple of miles along the road I got married to the lovely Marion...

I have been accused of being a soppy old git at times so to prove this point I am truly a lucky guy to be married to such a beautiful, wonderful, generous and talented lady. Baby I Love You by The Ramones was the song we had our first dance to as Mr and Mrs Smith. Four years on and I love her more than ever.

So, Mrs Smith – can I go to the pub tonight or what…?

A Family Tradition...

Grandchild number five is four months old today. Where the hell does time go to? Daniel is already displaying the same level of interest in his Papa as his brother and sisters...

Review - American Idiot

I have to admit that when I was invited to the opening night of American Idiot at the Edinburgh Playhouse on Tuesday evening I didn’t know what to expect. I asked a couple of friends who merely shook their heads and petted their lips. Eventually someone told me the show was based on the music of American pop-punk band Green Day. Grateful for the info, I was still none the wiser. Yet, it was an enjoyable evening even though there wasn’t a huge crowd at the Playhouse.

Green Day first came to prominence in the 1980s formed in 1986 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirn. It’s a level of my ignorance that I discovered Green Day have sold more than 85 million records worldwide and have won five Grammy Awards. Their 2004 album American Idiot was labelled a punk rock opera and depicts modern American life in the aftermath of traumatic events such as the attacks on New York and Washington in September 2001 and the Gulf War. As the title suggests this is the basis of the theatre production. 

The show starts with a bang and rarely lets up as you might expect from a punkish band. It’s difficult to label a particular genre on American Idiot but a starting point might be The Clash meets James Taylor meets Trainspotting meets Friends. If that sounds fanciful then head to the Playhouse and see for yourself.

The first act is just 50 minutes and comes to something of an abrupt end. However, the start of act two has a very powerful scene where leading man Johnny – played by Tom Milner, perhaps best known for being in BBC Television’s Waterloo Road – dabbles with strong drugs. It’s a scene which is unusual for a musical – it’s played in complete silence which adds to its powerful poignancy. It’s reminiscent of the ground-breaking film Trainspotting – there’s even a filthy toilet in the corner of the stage.

Some of the music certainly appealed to this ageing punk and this was mixed by more gentile numbers and the scene where Milner strums his guitar in a drug-infused stupor declaring his love for his girlfriend is very moving. 

It wouldn’t be a musical without hope, however, and the emotionally charged number When September Ends towards the end of the show demonstrates the characters belief that there can be better days ahead.

Kudos to a brilliant production and a passionate and energetic cast as well as the superb band situated at the top of the stage.

American Idiot is on at the Edinburgh Playhouse until Saturday 9^th February 2019