Therry Theatre. Arts Theatre. 10 Aug 2024
It has happened again.
An unfunded local company has turned on a five-star production with the sort of flourishing finesse one may expect of the big professionals.
It is hard to comprehend how Therry could assemble so many excellent singers and generate such a disciplined and committed musical cast, including orchestral musicians, to present such an extremely demanding jukebox musical.
This critic attended the production as organiser of a group booking of decidedly discerning theatre goers. A certain amount of responsibility is accorded to this role, and an embarrassing backlash if group members are disappointed. To make this predicament more absurdly compromising, the director of this show, Jude Hines, is a very fond friend. Perchance the critic was more nervous than the director.
Of course, it is no-win. It would have been hard to pan a bad show by a friend but it also is tricky to write a rave about a friend. Anyway, here it is. Jude made it easy.
Jersey Boys is a triumph.
Don’t take my word for it. Dash down to The Arts Theatre and spend a couple of hours in foot-tapping enjoyment.
As the program explains, Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons with a book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio and Lyrics by Bob Crew.
Full of sixties hit songs, it has been a very well-received musical since its 2004 premiere at La Jolla in California. It ran for 12 years on Broadway, toured, turned up everywhere and, smothered in awards, enjoyed a 2021 West End revival.
All it needs is a snappy director and a fabulous cast.
So, here it is, on the old Therry shoestring budget, looking a million dollars in endless costume changes, a simple scaffolding set with myriad set pieces trucking softly in on the quietest casters in history through the no less than fifty scenes. Set designer Gary Anderson may henceforth answer to the sobriquet “Mr Casters Oil.”
From lighting plots to orchestral cues, this musical just sings.
Lindsay Prodea has always looked good on stage but here, easily accommodating the falsetto reaches of Frankie Valli, he excels both in song and character delivery. It’s a taxing role and a bravura performance. Trevor Anderson plays the key part as Tommy DeVito, the New Jersey wheeler dealer who brings the group both together and apart through the years. He is vocally a treat and immensely appealing onstage. Sam Davy stepped in to rescue the show after an injury to the performer playing Nick Masai. Lucky break for Therry. He was still fresh after playing the role for Northern Light in 2022 and he does the production proud. Then there’s Phillippe Quaziz as Bob Gaudio, the fourth of the Four Seasons. He always looks too old but he can charm and sing a house down. And, with pretty flawless sound from the excellent techs, the four harmonised and delivered all those great old hits: Walk Like a Man, Sherry, My Eyes Adored You, Let’s Hang On, Rag Doll, and more.
If Leanne Savill’s musical direction is right on the ball (nice horn section, too), choreographer Linda Lawson has the dancers looking excellent in cleverly accessible moves. Ditto the singing principals.
Supporting cast lives up to the all-over high standards with ease and, bar one, the American accents.
Sam Wiseman just eats the stage in his cameo as Gyp. Nikki Gaertner Eaton takes Frankie’s wife, Mary Delgado, from bombshell to heartbreak very elegantly and Tom Adams is a winning scene stealer as the great Bob Crewe.
The supporting cast smoothly undertakes myriad multi roles making the show seem bigger than it really is. Nice work all round. Particularly from my mate Jude Hines as director.
I tips me cap.
Samela Harris
When: 9 to 17 Aug
Where: The Arts Theatre
Bookings therry.org.au
