I finally got around to seeing Jersey Boys. The show was just never high on my list of shows to see. I had heard great things about it, but somehow I just never had the desire. I think I was also a little peevish about the fact that Jersey Boys had snatched the best-musical Tony from the hands of my beloved Drowsy Chaperone.
But when I was getting my ticket for Young Frankenstein (see my review below) I had another slot to see a show on that Saturday night. The only musicals on Broadway that I hadn't seen yet were Jersey Boys and The Color Purple, another show that somehow wasn't pulling me in. So I decided to bite the bullet and get a ticket for both. I'm seeing The Color Purple this Friday. Watch for my review next week.
So, as for Jersey Boys, I was fortunately able to catch the four men from the original cast. Tony winner John Lloyd Young will be leaving in November, and Daniel Reichard departs at the end of the year. More on these gentlemen later, but overall it's a very tight and talented foursome, and for me their performances were a highlight of the show.
The audience seemed to comprise Jersey boys and girls in the 50+ demographic. They were out to have a good time, after a sumptuous meal at The Olive Garden or some such. I quite obviously had a different agenda from that of the rest of the audience members: I wanted to see some quality musical theater. They wanted to hear the greatest hits of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. And they got what they wanted: a thoroughly professional cover band and expert impersonations. I got to see what all the fuss was about.
I remember seeing the Jersey Boys number on the Tony Awards and thinking it was remarkably effective and tight. And that's pretty much what the rest of the show was like. Act one was slick but unaffecting: a very professionally produced concert that happened to have a bit of plot. The book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice is efficient and moderately amusing, but if it weren't for the songs of The Four Seasons, would anyone really care?
Act two was a considerable improvement. Suddenly we're dealing with human emotion, not just slick theatrics. John Lloyd Young gets to prove why many people thought he was Tony-worthy, and it's certainly a solid performance, but still not earth-shattering. It's all about the voice, the impersonation, and the Jersey accent. And, yeah, he's cute as hell. A remarkable performer, but c'mon...Best Actor? Will we ever see this guy on the boards again? Will he take off into TV Land, or will he sign a recording contract?
As for the rest of the cast, Tony winner Christian Hoff was very credible as a Jersey mook. He'd make a hell of a Pal Joey should that rumored revival ever come to fruition. For me, the best performance came from Daniel Reichard, who was personable, at-ease, and very genuine as songwriter Bob Gaudio. J. Robert Spencer did a very serviceable job in a very understated role.
On the whole, Jersey Boys is thoroughly professional and a moderate amount of fun. A great night out, but not a show for the ages. Other than the four main performers, the real stars here are Sergio Trujillo's crisp and energetic musical staging and Des McAnuff's fast-paced and economical direction. McAnuff once again displays his skill at crafting a tale of sound and fury, signifying nothing, just as he did with The Who's Tommy.
Jersey Boys is certainly by far the best of its jukebox-musical genre. For whatever that's worth.
Gee, I thought Tommy was won of the most exciting musical productions I've ever seen. And I've seen a ton of musicals, on Broadway and elsewhere.
Posted by: daveylow | October 28, 2007 at 10:08 AM