If you live in Johannesburg and surrounding suburbs there’s no denying that you might have seen some of our local buses wrapped in one of Jersey Boys posters. Well if you have no idea who these boys are, don’t worry. Nicole takes us on a review ride of this spectacular show. Probably her best show in the 2nd quarter of 2013. Details after the jump.
Last week we were treated to a VIP night at Monte Casino that included a fabdinner at @Monte, a backstage tour of the Teatro and the best seats in the house for the highly acclaimed Jersey Boys. While I totally love musicals, I’m weary of their prolificacy and fear that South Africans are completely forgetting that theatre does not always involveclapping to a beat and dancing in the aisles. Yes, I’m a vocal advocate of straight plays, but one must give props where due, and Jersey Boys is most deserving of its acclaim.
Although acted out by SA locals, Jersey Boys is straight out of Broadway and tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, who were from New Jersey. Don’t know who they are? Oh, you probably do. Know the song “Oh, What A Night”? Or, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” (revived by Lauryn Hill in the late 90s)? Yup, you’ll recognise a few others too. The show, while covering an entire lifetime of the four men, moves super quickly, which is a real boredom buster and, along with the incredible performances and songs, the time flies by without you even noticing that your bum has gone numb.
The committed and talented cast have already taken the show to Singapore and are now on their way to Cape Town. It’s a hectic schedule and a serious lifestyle adjustment for the players and crew. While on the backstage tour we were literally floored with some fascinating facts that show just how serious of a show it really is…
The facts:
• 41 crew and 15 cast members
• 5 actors trained in the role of Franki
• 867 lighting cues, which are called by one person throughout the show
• 13 costume changes in the first act just for one of the female Characters
• The shortest costume change happens in 9 seconds, with the help of 4 crew1
• There is R400,000 worth of guitars backstage
• The band actually sits in 2 separate rooms downstairs. They do not even see the stage and must rely on the musical director for cues.
• 40 mics are used
• There are 2 sets of every costume in case one malfunctions
• The guys’ shoes need to be replaced almost every 2 weeks due to wear
Impressive, no? Made me realise just how much work and dedication goes into a show of this kind… Trust me, your ticket is worth every cent. Go see it!
Check out the website for details: Jerseyboyssa
