From New Jersey to Nevada

Jersey Boys - Prince Edward Theatre, London 29th November, 2011

I hadn't been to the show since a few days before the last cast change and I hadn't really been to keen on going again but with being in London on a Tuesday and the POTO midweek matinee being moved a few weeks ago so left with little/no choice and thanks to the chance to get an excellent seat for only 25 GBP I was off to see this show also since there were rumours about Ryan Molloy leaving with the next one (though just read he will actually stay on) and him being on for the Tuesday matinee I thought I check it out...

So it was my first time seeing the new guys and most of them could convince me but others were a bit of a disappointment.

I though will definitely never be a fan of the stage show. Telling the apparent true story of the Four Seasons (err, no, some things just did not happen this way), I hate it how the musical songs but for “Can’t Take My Eyes Of You” are just some kind of teasers played for max one minute. Yes the production is slim, looks good with a minimalistic set that works well, moves quickly with some perfect timing but these teasers really bug me though usually the cast makes up for it. And so it is this afternoon again.

It usually just takes a few seconds to tell whether Ryan Molloy is in a good mood. From past shows it is usually hit or miss as he seems to be rather moody and it shows in his performance but this afternoon you could tell he was in an excellent mood giving an incredible performance. He just is Frankie Valli then, with true acting that even Franki Valli himself could not play himself any better.

Jon Boydon is, while a good Tommy De Vito, never going to be my favourite in that role. With Glenn Carter being such a womaniser, his understudy Ben Wheeler (who is my fave) being so über-sleazy Jon’s Tommy is just… I do not know, just not doing it for me. I do not want it to call bland, but I expect a bit more emotional input. Vocally he though is the strongest of the various Tommy’s I have seen. Eugene McCoy as Nick Massi – well am totally biased when it comes to him, as I have known him for so many years, ever since he was in Mamma Mia many years ago, but I think he does it so wonderfully. He does not play the Nick as dumb as the others in the past, yes his Nick is slightly naive but still smart and as Frankie Valli says at one point “a musical genius”. ;)Matthew Wycliffe as the new Bob Gaudio was impressive. I was not keen on him the first five minutes but I blame it on being so used to Stephen Ashfield in that role, but once I got over that, I truly enjoyed his performance. With a beautiful touching voice he portrayed Bob Gaudio so sincerely, so convincingly that it was fun to watch him, that he seems just because of his looks and his acting closer to the actual age of Bob at the beginning of the career acting more innocent also helped a lot.

(Un?)Fortunately I missed Rachael Wooding as Mary Delgado as she was off and Lucinda Gill was on but I didn’t mind as I could never stand her in any other show I have seen. Lucinda having seen her now the second time in that role was a delightful Mary, still miss Suzy Bastone a bit in regards to the acting as he had that character nailed down from top to toe but Lucinda got very close to that class performance and she is a better singer. ;)

Charlie Bull as Lorraine is (unfortunately for me) still there. Her Lorraine, a journalist and Frankie’s lover at some point, totally misses the heart (her rather deep voice for a woman does not help either) to convince me she really cares for Frankie. She, while being a pretty girl, also misses any appeal, why someone as Frankie Valli would fall in love with her when he could have anyone else.

Lauren Hall whose main role is of Francine could not impress me vocally especially as the lead singer of the Angels, an opening act for the Four Seasons at one point in their career, and she cannot deliver the jive of that song lacking energy and strength getting slightly drowned by the band, as Francine though in her little scenes she was lovely just acting as I’d expect from someone as a young torn woman.

Jo Servi who took over from Tee Jaye was dire for me. Besides totally ruining the opening number, a French rap act, I could hardly make out the words, he just does no have the charisma that Tee Jaye has and which he fully brought into the various characters he played. Total disappointment

Carl Au as Joe Pesci was okay, he does not have the same spot on comic timing that Jye has delivering his lines rather boringly but I could live with it. Wayne Smith as the Bob Crew though was the new highlight for me. I had never cared for that part as I could not stand Simon Adkins being just too loud for me, but Wayne just gives the role the right balance between the campness and business attitude the role requires for me. I wouldn’t mind if he stays on as he is just right for the show.

Ben Wheeler, swing and my favourite Tommy De Vito, was on as Norman Waxman. It was my first time seeing him in that part and after mainly just seeing Joseph Prouse in it, who I was never too keen on, this was a nice change giving the role some of Tommy’s sleaziness but still being balanced and not going OTT.

Well the others not mentioned also did well, so it was a fun afternoon with also a good audience which is always a bit of a fear for me having had some bad experience at this show with people totally misbehaving but as this one’s, also known as the pensioners’ matinee, is usually full of older people and it is still early in the day, the alcohol consumption is low.

Overall, it was good to see that show again though I am not sure when I will go and see the show again.

Crazy For You - Novello Theatre, London, 29th November, 2011

The last time I did see this show was at the opera in Kiel just a year ago and while it was a good night out but at 60 EUR (subsidised theatre!!) an expensive night out with a mainly average cast so as I also had just seen rather average productions before I was not sure about seeing it but after reading the great reviews of when this production was on at the Regent’s park open air theatre I thought I’d better go.

I got a fantastic seat in row M (sounds further away than it actually is, quite central and not only had a fantastic view) from TKTS for 35 GBP (cheaper than in Kiel!) so on Tuesday evening I was off to see the show.

And what a show it is, what a fantastic evening. If you have seen any other productions of this show I am pretty sure you have not seen the true potential of this show.

Yes, the show is anything but perfect with a rather simple book telling of New York banker who is desperate to break into showbiz, a troupe of gorgeous dancing girls, and a ghost town called Deadrock in Nevada full of characters that wouldn’t be out of place in ‘The Far Side’. By uncanny coincidence, the town has a disused theatre with a mortgage that’s about be foreclosed, and a population in need of some inspiration. Desperate to win over Polly, the only girl in town, the NY banker suggests they put on a show to make money and invites the entire cast of the "Zangler’s Follies" over to help out and there the story really starts but what makes the show special are the songs and how they are performed and the truly stunning choreography by the incredible Stephen Mear to support these performed by a most amazing cast is just mind blowing. There is hardly a moment when I can allow drifting off – the risk to miss a thing is too big.

Most of the dance choreography is of high class tap dancing so was even happier that I do not sit too close to this stage so I could take it all in as the whole rather wide stage of the Novello theatre is used. Especially the act 1 final of "I Got Rhythm" was just refreshing, breath-taking and inspiring.

Clare Foster as Polly Baker: OMG. Having known her for sooo many years since she was once in the ensemble of We Will Rock You and then later in shows as Avenue Q, it was so fantastic to see her in that part. Her Polly just had the right balance of tomboy and young lady it never turns too much into a farce which I have seen before. I was not 100% keen on her vocals, but I blame that accent for that which must be hard to sing in and still sounding totally decent. But then her acting as said earlier is just spot on and entertaining and the chemistry with Sean Palmer is just one sparkling one. Sean as Bobby Child is a top class act dancer with so much infectious enthusiasm, incredible to watch, beautiful voice though imho he could have more strength, it sounded a bit weak sometimes, even a David Burt who plays Bela Zangler seems to have more power, and he could have a bit more charisma for my taste. Not expecting a John Barrowman OTT character but just a bit more charm in general. Still when he plays his scenes with Clare he is somehow convincing (though I really cannot stand these man sees woman and falls in love with her instantly scenes – just daft) and “relate-able” to.

David Burt as Bela Zangler who I saw in the play “Plague over England” the last time, is a tremendous actor who proves how funny and entertaining he can actually be especially in his drunken scene with Sean aka Bobby looking as Bela when they face each other and due to their drunken state not realising it.

The secret star of the evening is Rachel Stanley as Tess for me. The last time I saw her was in Chicago a few years ago and it is clear that she still is an incredible dancer. Normally the role of Tess, while I know it is there, is one rather unnoticed but for the first time I really paid attention to that part and noticed how essential it actually is as it is the link between Bobby and Bela or maybe a focus was never really put on that.

The rest of the ensemble is also so flawless – so much talent onstage. With so many familiar faces in the cast, it feels a bit like the good old days when west end was still a lot more fun and me enjoying coming over.

The set is rather simple but effective with these two revolving constructions either displaying the big city or the town. Costumes are most beautiful and so well thought through but the odd dress for Irene which look a bit unflattering.

Overall this is a most marvellous night out for any one interested in light entertainment with some of the best dancing in a show currently on in the West End. I really hope it will stay around for a while.