Review: Jersey Boys at Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

★★★★★

Celebrating its 20th anniversary tour, the Tony® award-winning musical, Jersey Boys returns to Birmingham for a three-week run. The hit musical, which has won 65 major awards and been enjoyed by audiences of over 27 million people worldwide, tells the real-life story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, featuring music from the much-loved band. 

A jukebox musical with a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, the musical presents a documentary-style production dramatising the formation, success and subsequent fall out of the group. Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio and Nick Massi were four Italian-Americans from New Jersey uniting to create music that the world couldn't get enough of. But while the quartet’s voices were harmonious onstage, offstage their lives told a very different story. Jersey Boys shines a light on the highs and lows of the group, in a story that brought them to international acclaim all over again. 

The touring production stars Luke Baker as Frankie Valli, Carlo Boumouglbay as Tommy Devito, Lewis Kennedy as Nick Massi, and Toby Miles as Bob Gaudio. They are accompanied by Aiden Carson as Joey Pesci, Artemis Chrisoulakis as Francine, Sydnie Hocknell as Mary Delgado, Michael Levi as Bob Crewe, Olivia Mitchell as Lorraine, Jarryd Nurden as Hank Majewski, Oliver Tester as Norm Waxman, Damien Winchester as Barry Belson, and Fed Zanni as Gyp Decarlo. In keeping with the story, the musical also features a talented band, which spends time on stage accompanying the vocals. 

Featuring classic tunes from Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, including number one singles: Sherry, Big Girls Don't Cry, Walk Like a Man, Working My Way Back to You, Beggin’, and December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night), the musical is packed with toe-tappingly catchy melodies and accompanying choreography (Sergio Trujillo). Even if you think you don’t know any Four Seasons songs, you’ll likely recognise plenty with this musical that rolls out hit after memorable hit. 

Set in the 1960s, the production takes audiences back in time with suave fashion (Jess Goldstein) and hairstyling (Charles G. Lapointe), as well as a digital screen featuring pop art illustrations and music video style shots. The stripped back staging (Klara Zieglerova) also pushes the music and story to the forefront. 

Luke Baker in the central role perfectly captures Frankie Valli’s three-octave vocal range and powerful, signature falsetto. While accompanying voices from across the cast brilliantly melt their vocals together in smooth harmonies that soar from the stage. 

Jersey Boys is a musical with a dramatic backstory, highlighting the darker side of the music industry, that drives a punchy plot. Among the tumultuous relationships, the script is also laced with peaks of humour that endears audiences to these complex characters. Oh, What A Night, it is the incredible vocals and memorable tunes of Jersey Boys though that will leave you beggin’ for more. 

Jersey Boys plays at The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham until Saturday 21st November. In 2027, the musical plays at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (15th-27th March), and Leicester Curve (13th - 24th April). 

This review is written following a press invite to the show.

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