Bloomfield Avenue – Live in London

This is a theatre blog so at first it might seem a bit strange to cover a band here. But if you take a close look at Bloomfield Avenue they are not just your regular party band. Its members have a variety of West End credits ranging from Jersey Boys to Mamma Mia, Beautiful, We will rock you, Jesus Christ Superstar, Shrek and others. You don’t find such a huge amount of talent piled into one band very often.

I have had the pleasure of seeing Bloomfield Avenue perform on numerous occasions. Their Sunday gigs at The Roadhouse in Covent Garden were evenings not to be missed. And their Rockaoke events at Freedom on Wardour Street always guaranteed a brilliant night out.

And while the band has been doing mostly corporate and private gigs lately they have not forgotten about the fans who were there from the start. To celebrate their 10^th anniversary they are playing a special gig at London’s Hippodrome Casino. You can expect an evening of incredible music and some very special guests – amongst  them Matt Thorpe, finalist on BBC’s Let it Shine, and Rachael Wooding (further guests to be announced).

If you are still unsure whether this is the right thing for you I urge you to take a look at the band’s website https://www.bloomfieldavenueband.co.uk and check out the video and audio section. And for all you Kinky Boots fans – yes, that is Paul Ayres on lead vocals and you can expect him to rock the house at the anniversary gig, too.

So, here’s the date for your diary: June 14^th, 8pm at the London Hippodrome Casino.

Book tickets for Bloomfield Avenue – Live in London here.

You can find Bloomfield Avenue on Facebook and Twitter @bloomfield_ave .

If you are ever looking for a band for your birthday, wedding, anniversary or any other occasion – these are your guys.

And make sure to join in with the celebrations on June 14th.

Bye Bye Jersey Boys

This post is not going to be about the final performance of Jersey Boys in the West End. Although I have been a supporter of the show since 2008 I did not attend the performance on Sunday. Jersey Boys still does and always will hold a special place in my heart though. And I did celebrate the show on Sunday but I did it by attending Ryan Molloy’s Farewell Frankie gig at the Hippodrome in London.

For those of you that were not there and did not see anything about what happened yet I will sum it up in three words: Original Four reunited. Ryan Molloy, Glenn Carter, Philip Bulcock and Stephen Ashfield (who flew in just for a day from New York – that is dedication!) took the stage together for the first time since 2010 and gave Jersey Boys the best send off imaginable. It was a celebration of a show that has had a big impact on both its fans and the performers who have been part of it.

I will not bore you with long talk about how important Jersey Boys has been for me – I have made friends through this show and have met so many wonderful people. I have not watched it regularly for the past few years but I cherish the memories from those first six years when I was a regular at the Prince Edward Theatre. And I am happy the show continued to make people happy for another three years at the Piccadilly Theatre.

On Sunday I got the chance to celebrate Jersey Boys with the people who made me fall in love with it. And for that I cannot thank the man who made it happen enough: Ryan Molloy. What an incredible day he managed to put together: From the gig in the afternoon all the way to an aftershow party that went on until after midnight.

It was lovely to see so many former Jersey Boys (and Girls) reunited at the gig and/or the aftershow party: Ryan Molloy, Stephen Ashfield, Glenn Carter, Philip Bulcock, Suzy Bastone, Kieran Jae, Charlie Bull, Chris Gardner, Jon Boydon, Matt Wycliffe, Trina Hill, Eugene McCoy – You are all amazing. Thank you for everything.

And Ryan was right: He only offers the truth – I shit you not.

Since words cannot do the whole thing justice here are some videos for you to enjoy.

Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward Theatre 2008 – 2014

I still remember how it all started. In 2008 I stumbled upon a few clips of this new show which had just opened at the Prince Edward Theatre. This was the first time I heard that voice and I was hooked straight away. This guy named Ryan Molloy hit all those insane notes with such ease – I was amazed and I knew I had to go and see him and the show.

It’s actually almost funny that the main reason I booked tickets for Jersey Boys was indeed Ryan and on my first visit to the show the main man was off sick. Was I disappointed? Of course I was. At least until the show started. Because once I got over the fact that Ryan wasn’t on I realised I was watching one of the slickest and most entertaining shows I had seen in my life. The timing in Jersey Boys is incredible and doesn’t fail to amaze me even after almost 6 years of watching the show. That combined with the incredibly talented cast made me fall in love with Jersey Boys straight away. In case you are wondering, my first Frankie Valli was no other than the wonderful Jye Frasca who still has a place in my top 3 favourite Frankies.

I started out with the odd visit every 2 months which means I only got to see the original London cast a few times. It wasn’t until after the first cast change that I became a proper regular at the show. But once I started there was no going back for me and up to 4 visits a month became the norm pretty quickly.

And here I am, almost 6 years later. I have seen this show develop over the years, I have seen performers come and leave. Every cast has had something special. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the “Original Four” though: Ryan Molloy, Stephen Ashfield, Glenn Carter and Philip Bulcock. Those four guys had a special chemistry that no other Four Seasons combo has been able to match so far (at least in my opinion).

So many wonderful people have graced the stage at Jersey Boys since 2008 – it’s impossible to name them all. I feel extremely lucky to have met some of the most talented and nicest performer in the West End through this show, many of whom I have continued to support after they moved on to other shows.

This show has been a big part of my theatre life for the past 6 years. And now that its time at the Prince Edward Theatre has come to an end I feel a huge loss. Yes, I realise this is not the end of Jersey Boys. In less than a week a brand new cast (including some familiar faces) will open the show at its new home, the Piccadilly Theatre. However, this is the end of my time as a Jersey Boys regular. Unlike other fans I won’t be moving with the show. For me Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward Theatre was something special and no matter how good the new cast may be, I just feel that it’s time for me to close this chapter.

I have loved my 6 years at the Prince Edward Theatre – a place I could probably call my second home by now. I have met some dear friends through this show and I wouldn’t change a thing about my time spent at Jersey Boys.

So many people had a part in making those years a wonderful experience, from the cast to everyone working backstage, from the band to the lovely people at the box office and the front of house staff. This is my way of thanking each and every one of you. Without you Jersey Boys would not have been such a great place to spend an evening (exactly 182 of them in my case).

I have to take an extra moment to thank one person in particular because without him I might never have booked my first ticket for the show and I might not have stayed with it all those years. Ryan Molloy is not just an amazingly talented performer but also a wonderful person and I’m happy and proud to call myself a supporter of him and his work. I salute his 6 years commitment to Jersey Boys and even though I think leaving the show is the right decision I am terribly sad I will never get to see his Frankie again.

All things must come to an end and my Jersey Boys journey ended on 9^th March 2014. This doesn’t mean I will never watch the show again. There is no way I am not going to jump at the chance of seeing Ben Wheeler’s Tommy DeVito or Mark Isherwood’s Nick Massi. But my days as a regular visitor are definitely over. It’s time to start a new chapter. Let’s see where it takes me.

Little trip down memory lane in pictures

Original Four

Philip Bulcock (Original Nick Massi)

Ryan Molloy – West End Live 2009

Simon Adkins (Original Bob Crewe)

Stephen Ashfield (Original Bob Gaudio)

Mark Isherwood (Swing, Original London Cast)

Ryan Molloy live at Madame JoJo’s 2009

Ryan Molloy live at Madame JoJo’s 2009

Joseph Prouse (Original Norman Waxman)

James Winter (Hank)

Jye Frasca (Original Joey Pesci)

Suzy Bastone (Mary Delgado) and Jye Frasca, Original London Cast

2010/2011

Jayde Westaby (Mary Delgado)

West End Live 2012

West End Live 2012

The brilliant Michael Conway (Swing)

Matt Wycliffe (Bob Gaudio)

Wayne Smith (Bob Crewe)

The fantastic Ben Wheeler (Swing, Original London Cast )

HMV promo 2012

Carl Au (Joey Pesci) and Michael Conway (Swing)

Matt Wycliffe (Bob Gaudio)

Jon Boydon (Tommy) and Ryan Molloy

Rachael Wooding (Mary Delgado)

Ben Wheeler (Swing, Original London Cast)

Jake Samuels (Norman)

Eugene McCoy (Nick Massi)

Dan Burton (Joey Pesci) and the legend that is TeeJaye (Original Barry)

Ryan Molloy 2012

Cast 2013/2014

West End Live 2013

Rebecca Jayne-Davies (Francine)

Chris Gardner (Hank)

Ryan Molloy live at Hoxton Bar and Kitchen – 2013

Owan (aka mini TeeJaye) has found a new home in Germany now

Ryan Molloy – outstanding perfomern, wonderful person – nothing but huge respect for this man’s achievement

 

Jon Boydon “Three Four” LIVE at The 100 Club – 27th August 2012

Jon Boydon’s debut album “Three Four” was released in 2011 and features a mix of classic songs from “Runaround Sue” to “Poison Ivy” and “New York state of mind” as well as the self-written track “Fallen Angel” – not to be confused with the well-known Frankie Valli tune!

His long-awaited solo gig took place at the legendary 100 Club on London’s Oxford Street, a venue who’s stage has been graced by artists like Blur and Paul Weller to name just two. Support acts on this Bank Holiday Monday were Garry Lake, The Wondersmiths and Madalena Alberto.

Garry Lake was the first to take to the stage with some self-written songs. This was the first, but hopefully not the last time he performed his own material in front of a life audience. Garry’s voice combined with some beautiful melodies and lyrics had the audience captivated throughout his set.

Next up were The Wondersmiths who treated the audience to some proper Indie / Britpop tunes. I do think those guys are talented but for an audience of mostly musical theatre fans they probably weren’t the best choice. A band like this works great at festivals with a proper rock audience. In this venue their energy got a bit lost due to lack of response from those watching them (while sitting comfortably on chairs).

Madalena Alberto completed the supporting acts with a couple of acoustic songs – just her amazing voice and a guitar, a true joy to listen to. The audience certainly appreciated her talent but people were without a doubt getting a bit restless to see Jon on stage.

Just after 9:30pm the man of the evening started his set with “Blues deluxe” followed by “Hard to handle” after making sure no on was sitting down anymore and the area in front of the stage was cleared of all chairs (thumbs up for this!). If there was anyone left in the audience who wasn’t sure what to expect from this evening, the next song – “Poison Ivy” – definitely set the tone and had everyone swinging and rocking along.

After Jon’s take on “Pretty as you please” it was time to slow down a bit with “She talks to angels” before setting a faster pace again with “Runaround Sue”. Judging by the reaction this song was a huge favourite of the audience and if I had to choose my highlights of the evening this one would definitely make the top three.

The set continued with a great mix of uptempo songs and the occasional rock ballad. “Are you gonna be my girl”, “Jet”, and “Love Potion No. 9” got the audience on their feet while “Hallelujah I love her so” and “Drops of Jupiter” created a very intimate atmosphere with everyone just soaking in some brilliant music. I’d like to give a special mention to “Fallen Angel”, a song which shows that Jon is not only a brilliant singer but also a talented songwriter. Hopefully we will get to hear more of his own material in the future.

My absolutely favourite track from the album has to be “New York State of mind”. I adore Jon’s version of the song and had been looking forward to finally seeing and hearing it performed live. And Jon didn’t disappoint – for me this song was the most intense moment of the whole concert.

The evening ended with “I don’t need no doctor” and “Wishing well” and left the audience wanting more. And I’d say chances are good this hasn’t been the first and last time this set has been played live on stage. Jon Boydon has proven that he is not only a talented musical theatre performer but also a brilliant recording artist that knows how to entertain an audience with his music.

Set List

Blues deluxe
Hard to handle
Poison Ivy
Pretty as you please
She talks to angels
Runaround Sue
Are you gonna be my girl
Hallelujah I love her so
Drops of Jupiter
Jet
Fallen Angel
Love Potion No. 9
Truth
New York state of mind
I don’t need no doctor
Wishing well

Photo gallery (please don’t use these pictures anywhere else without asking, thank you!)

If you haven’t bought Jon’s album “Three Four” yet go here for various ways to get your hands on a copy: http://www.jonboydon.com

10 Questions with Jon Boydon

Jon Boydon is currently in his third year in the West End Smash Jersey Boys in which he is playing the part of Tommy DeVito to rave reviews. His previous theatre credits include Brad Majors (UK) and Frank N Furter (Europe) in the Rocky Horror Show, Kenickie in Grease, Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (Europe and UK) and alternate Galileo and understudy for Khashoggi and Britney Spears in We will rock you to name just a few.

Beside being a regular on West End stages Jon is also working as a vocalist outside the word of musical theatre and has performed in concerts throughout the UK. He released his debut album “Three Four” earlier this year and is currently preparing for a solo gig at 100 Club in London on 27th August.

What was the first role you ever played (school, drama class…) and how old were you?
The first time I ever performed onstage was when I was 4 years old. There was a kids talent show at the hotel I was staying at for my summer holiday. I sang “Green Door” which had been a hit for Shakin Stevens not long before. It was with a band and I just got up and got on with it. Growing up in a musical family I just assumed everyone did it. My first real stage role was aged 7 in an amateur production of “The King and I” at the Hippodrome in Birmingham.

Who was your inspiration when you were younger?
A big inspiration for me as a young child was Michael Jackson. I think he was to all the kids of the 80s. I used to watch his videos and try to learn the dances, and I even did a rendition of “Bad” in full costume and wig at a school assembly! Your parents are naturally people you look up to, and my dad and I are so similar, I would have to say that he was too. We share exactly the same taste in music. I learned to play guitar and sing, just like him!

What was the first show (play or musical) you saw on stage?
The first West End show I saw was “Blood Brothers” when I was 16. It blew me away. I then saw “Les Miserables” and didn’t really enjoy it. “Miss Saigon” came shortly after. By this time I was about 20 and hardly knew anything about professional musical theatre.

If you had not become a performer what profession would you have chosen?
This is a tough one. I’m not sure I know. I never intended to do this as a job. I just thought I’d try it out after I finished my university degree. And I’m not sure what I’d do if I had to stop! I would probably have ended up doing something with a creative side but also corporate – like advertising.

What was your career highlight so far?
I would say it’s between performing with Brian May (although not as Galileo) and performing with the Jersey Boys on my birthday at the BBC Proms in Hyde Park to about 80.000 people.

What’s your dream role?
I’ve been lucky enough to play some of my dream roles: Kenickie, Frank N Furter, Judas, Galileo… I would have liked to try Rum Tum Tugger but that wasn’t to be. I’m not sure I have any left that REALLY speak to me. I’d be honoured to have Phantom or Valjean on my CV but I’m not sure that they’re quite right for me. A nice movie role would be next on my hit list.

What music do you listen to?
I literally listen to everything:  Jazz, rock, classical, pop, soul, dance, R&B, rap, funk. I would say my head is a jazzer and my heart is a rocker!

What was the last book you read?
I love to read. Lately I got about a third of the way through “50 Shades of Grey” but it was so poorly written I lost interest! Before that was the Dragon Tattoo trilogy, and I’ve just started Stephen Fry’s first autobiography “Moab is my Washpot”.

What are your pet peeves?
At work: Anyone who films, records or photographs the show – they think if the flash is off we can’t see them, and I ALWAYS do!
In life: Bad/inconsiderate/dangerous driving, miserable people, bad manners.

If there was a movie about your life, who should play you? And it can’t be yourself!
If there was a movie about my life up to this point, then Mark Warren can play me. When I’m an older man perhaps Robert Redford could take over!

Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions Jon!

To all of you reading this, you can order Jon’s album “Three Four” here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Four-Jon-Boydon/dp/B006BZ6YCG/ref=as_li_wdgt_fl_ex?&linkCode=waf&tag=makingrecords-21

and here:
http://www.dresscircle.co.uk/9656-Product-CD-Jon%20Boydon-Three%20Four-38230

Or just download it from iTunes!

Tickets for Jon’s gig at 100 Club are selling fast so make sure you book yours soon:
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/175689

Find Jon on Twitter @JonBoydon and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/jonboydon.

http://www.jonboydon.com/

Jersey Boys new cast as of March 2012

Now in its fifth year Jersey Boys is still pulling in the crowds at the Prince Edwards Theatre. Having been a regular at this show since 2008 I have seen casts come and go. And while it is often sad to see cast members leave it’s also exciting to have new performers find their own take on a role.  It keeps a show fresh and interesting for both the people involved and the audience (especially the returning visitors).

Not too long ago I was asked which cast I have liked best at Jersey Boys so far. After thinking about this for a while I came to the conclusion that it was a tie between the second and third cast. I honestly can’t decide between those two with people like Philip Bulcock and Ashley Hale leaving after year 2 and Michael Conway and Jon Boydon joining when the show went into its third year. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like cast number 1 and 4 though. Each cast has been special in their own way.

And now there’s cast number 5 with a few new faces (and the return of an oh so familiar face).

The cast is still led by Ryan Molloy as Frankie Valli (or Jon Lee at certain performances) and although he has been in the show since day one Ryan still delivers a flawless performance. His Frankie connects perfectly with the other 3 main Jersey Boys and his vocals are nothing but amazing. He makes singing those high notes look completely effortless.
Jon Boydon, Matthew Wycliffe and Eugene McCoy also remain with the show. Jon and Eugene are now in their third year in the show while Matthew has just started his second year as Bob Gaudio. All three give strong performances and while Eugene’s portrayal of Nick will never be completely to my liking he definitely has made the part his own and I can understand why he is a favourite of the fans. Matthew has grown a lot in his role throughout the first year. His Bob Gaudio is determined and sincere with a hint of cheekiness. His voice is strong and clear and both Cry for me and Oh what a night have the audience captivated.
Jon Boydon’s Tommy is a bully. You don’t want to get into the way of that guy. And while I’ve always loved his dangerous Tommy I still miss the flirty and engaging side of Tommy in his portrayal. In my eyes Tommy is one of the most difficult characters in the show acting wise – it’s hard to find a balance between being dangerous and flirty.

A new member of the Jersey family is Dan Burton who plays Joey Pesci. I have seen Dan in a few other shows and he always comes across as being totally in control of the character he plays. And he makes no exception with Joey Pesci. I had the feeling he had been playing the part for years when I first saw him (which was in the first week of the new cast). His Joey is lively and a bit geeky and he catches the humor of the role perfectly.

Nicola Brazil joins the cast as Frankie’s wife Mary Delgado. The problem with Mary is she has to show off a certain ammount of  arrogance but at the same time she has to be likable. Nicola does a great job in juggling those two characteristics. And I don’t remember the last time I have seen Ryan so engaged in the argument between Mary and Frankie just before My eyes adored you. Him and Nicola had me on the edge of my seat in that scene.

Howard Jones is playing Bob Crewe, the producer of the Four Seasons. I admit it must be hard to capture that character on stage. You have to find the right balance between the humor and the sincere and highly important figure Bob Crewe was in the history of the Four Season. As much as you may think “That guy is weird!” while watching the show you also have to understand how influential he was and what a big part he has played in the success of the band. Both Simon Adkins and Wayne Smith have managed to portray Bob Crewe perfecly – each in his own way and each without turning the character into a walking joke. Sadly Howard hasn’t achieved that yet. His Bob Crewe is in my opinion rather one dimensional and he is lacking a connection with the four main guys. He doesn’t manage to deliver the lines properly resulting in a lot of the witty punch lines being lost. He might just need time to settle into the part but the fact that both Simon and Wayne had the part down to a tee right from the start makes me rather pessimistic in this case.

Trina Hill has taken over as Francine after being a swing in the show for the past year. She has played the part on several occasions already so she technically isn’t new to it. She sings the only female song in the show (My boyfriend’s back) with a strong voice and her portray of Francine is solid. Compared to her antecessors she is lacking a bit in vulnerability. I prefer Francine to be a bit more fragile and Trina’s Francine seems rather tough throughout the show.

Returning to the show after a one year break is Tee Jaye as Barry Belson. I’ve never really warmed to Jo Servi’s Barry so to say I’m happy about Tee Jaye’s return would be an understatement. He manages to make me laugh while giving his character the needed amount of dignity and seriousness. Jersey Boys has regained so much with this new/old addition to the cast.

Staying with the show are Charlie Bull as Lorraine, Mark Carroll as Donnie/Knuckles, Chris Gardner as Hank, Stuart Milligan as Gyp DeCarlo, Jake Samuels as Norman Waxman and Swings Ben Wheeler, Michael Conway, Mark Isherwood and Lucinda Gill.
Joining as Swings are Edd Post, Ben Jennings and Gemma Whitelam.
Whilst I haven’t seen any of the new swings yet I was lucky enough to catch Mark Isherwood as Donnie lately (a part he only started covering a short while ago) and I can honestly say I have never been captivated by that part in such a way. It was almost impossible to look away from Mark whenever he was on stage. The tiny details he adds to his characters are simply amazing.

Jersey Boys remains one of my favourite shows in the West End. And although I miss several past cast members dearly I enjoy seeing new takes on the different parts in the show. After all that’s one of the things that make live theatre so interesting.

Jersey Boys is showing at the Prince Edward Theatre. For more info and to book tickets please visit http://www.jerseyboyslondon.com.

Jon Boydon – Three Four

Let me start this post by making one thing clear: I’m not a rock chick! This may sound like an odd sentence to start an album review but it’ll make sense once you continue reading.

 

Jon Boydon’s debut album “Three Four” has been long awaited. To quote the man himself, it had been years of threatening to get into the studio and make a recording. While this means a lot of time to carefully chose the songs on the one hand it also means expectations have been built up over the years: We’ve been waiting for this CD for ages, it better be good! No pressure there then. 😉

 

I will admit openly that I really wasn’t sure I was going to like the album when I pressed play and was greeted with some rather heavy rock tunes right at the start. I do enjoy the occasional rock song now and then but (and here I come back to my first statement) I’m not a rock chick.

 

But then this isn’t about me and my music preferences. It’s about Jon and his debut album and I can honestly say: It rocks! And it’s not just “good old rock”. There’s a bit for everyone.

You like your music loud? “Hard to handle” and “Pretty as you please” are your tunes.

You like a catchy tunes that will have you tap your feet along to the beat? You are bound to love “Runaround Sue”.

You like songs that really show off great voices? Go on, listen to “New York state of mind”.

You like a good rock ballad? “She talks to angels” is your song.

 

Personally I prefer Jon’s voice in songs like “New York State of Mind” and “Runaround Sue” but that most likely has to do with me not really being into heavy rock songs.

 

One of my favourite songs on the album has to be “Drops of Jupiter (Tell me)”. I’ve always adored that song – it is so beautifully written. And Jon definitely does the song justice on this album.

 

I’d like to give a special mention to the only self written track on the album: “Fallen Angel”. It has nothing to do with the song a lot of you will know from the hit musical Jersey Boys in which Jon is still playing the part of Tommy DeVito. “Fallen Angel” is a beautiful song – simple as that. It has great lyrics and a really catchy melody. I might be a bit in love with that one already and I’ve only listened to it twice so far.

 

So, what kind of album is “Three Four”? I’d class it as a rock album with a twist. If you like rock music, you should give it a listen. But don’t let the label “rock” put you off in case that’s not your kind of music. There’s more to the album than plain old rock. And it’s definitely been worth the rather long wait. 

 

And by the way, I really do fancy the photo inside the booklet! 😉

 

Order Jon Boydon’s debut CD “Three Four” here:

Dress Circle

 

Or here:

 

Amazon

Jersey Boys London, September 18th 2011

Yes, I am a Jersey Boys regular. I’ve been watching the show since July 2008 and have since then seen it more than 100 times (and no, that is no typo!). Jersey Boys is one of those shows that I can see again and again without getting bored. It has a gripping story, fantastic songs and is in my eyes almost flawless.

For all of you that have managed to avoid a trip to Jersey so far: The show tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (with a certain artistic freedom). The fact that it is not just a made up tale but in general the true history of real people is one of the reasons I’m fascinated by this musical. I remember the first time I went to watch Jersey Boys – I had no idea what to expect, all I had seen until then where clips online that had made me want to see the man with the fabulous voice on stage: Ryan Molloy (funny enough he was off sick on my first visit). It only took this one visit to get me hooked. So ever since that day Jersey Boys is on my “to see” list whenever I travel to London.

Once you’ve watched a show a certain amount of times you enjoy a few of change now and then. At least that’s what applies to me. So I am always up for understudy shows at Jersey Boys and I tend to book especially to see certain understudies on stage now and then.

The latest addition to those understudy shows happened on September 18th 2011. I do love Jon Boydon’s Tommy DeVito and I honestly miss Jon whenever I see the show and he’s not there but Ben Wheeler’s Tommy will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s probably a little due to the fact that he was my first ever Tommy back in 2008. But then he’s also a completely awesome performer. His Tommy is the perfect mix of dangerous and flirty, something that is quite hard to achieve. Plus I can basically see what his Tommy is thinking from every little facial expression and gesture. He doesn’t just act from script, he puts life into his performance. Ben’s Tommy is not just a one dimensional bully which makes it so interesting to see the characters development throughout the show.
What made this specific Sunday matinee even better was Mark Isherwood’s Nick Massi. He plays Nick exactly like he should be played (in my eyes at least). Nick Massi is a very defined and rather quiet character with a lot of style so for me it is important that he isn’t portayed as a joke figure. And unfortunately that can happen quite quickly with Nick wanting to “start his own group” all the time and doing the infamous “towel” speech in act 2. Mark’s Nick oozes charisma, simple as that. He’s elegant and laid back which is exactly why said towel speech comes across as a real outbreak of “the quiet one”. And I’d like to add that Mark’s smile really lights up the stage – such amazing stage presence! He needs to be on more often (who do I have to bribe??).
Matt Wycliffe always amazes me with the pure energy he puts into his performance. His Bob is very calm and collected yet he almost explodes (not literally!) with energy during the group songs and “Oh what a night”. And just how beautiful is that voice?! I will always miss Stephen Ashfield as Bob Gaudio, after all I’ve seen him in the show for 3 years. But I’m so glad they found Matt to replace Stephen and I honestly adore his Bob Gaudio.
Who’s missing? The one and only Mr. Molloy, of course. What can I say? He’s the man! I’ve never seen a performer like him on stage before. The guy is amazingly talented and if you ask me his voice is actually better than Frankie Valli’s. Plus Ryan is a born entertainer and that definitely shows in his performance. I sometimes wish he could just completely go for it and – for example – sing “Beggin” like he often does at promotional appearances (those riffs are awesome!!).
I seriously hope this wasn’t the first and last time I have seen these four guys on stage together. Their stage chemistry was fantastic and it was obvious they were having a great time performing together.

Wayne Smith as Bob Crewe always is a highlight in every Jersey Boys performance I attend. Yes, I loved Simon Adkin’s Bob Crewe and I always will. But Wayne really has made the character his own. His Bob Crewe has dignity and that is the most important thing everyone playing this part has to achieve. Bob Crewe was such a vital and important part in the history of the Four Season. As funny as his behaviour in the show is (all that “the stars are in alignment” stuff and so on) he can’t be portrayed as a walking joke. And Wayne manages this perfectly. I love his Bob Crewe and beside Matt Wycliffe he is my favourite addition to the Jersey Boys family.
Chris Gardner is doing a good job as Hank Majewski but I have to say he still doesn’t really covince me in the part. His Hank just seems a bit bland but then the part itself is not exactly the most exciting in the show. I have seen his Bob Gaudio and I really enjoyed his performance in that part so it’s probably rather the character’s than Chris’ fault that I just can’t warm to his Hank.
Jake Samuels has really grown into his role over the last few months. It’s no secret that I miss Joseph Prouse’s Norman Waxman dearly though. Joseph just had some kind of sparkle that Jake unfortunately lacks. He’s really good as Nick Massi though and I hope I get to see him in that part again.
Paul Iveson was on as Donnie/Knuckles. He did well but for some reason Paul never totally amazes me. He is good in every part I’ve seen him in but he hasn’t managed to work his way up to be my favourite in any of them.
Carl Au has developed so much since he started in the show. When I first saw him as Joey Pesci I thought he was way too insecure and not funny at all. But now he’s definitely settled into the role. Seeing his Frankie Valli is still on my list.
The three girls on stage always tend to stand in the shadow of the boys which is a shame. Rachael Wooding’s Mary Delgado is feisty and full of energy. She’s definitely my favourite since Suzy Bastone. Charlie Bull as Lorraine has grown a lot in the role over the last 1,5 years. Her Lorraine is more vulnerable now which makes me feel for the character. And Lauren Hall is by far the best Francine I have seen in the show. It’s fantastic to see what she makes of such a small role. When Francine phones her dad in act 2 I cannot help but wonder what must have happened to that girl to make her so fearful and insecure, something that has never happened to me with any of the other girls I’ve seen as Francine.

Only downside of this performance were certain people in the audience. Don’t you just hate it when people talk loudly during the show? And if you read this, yes I mean you, the two middle aged guys in the second row. So inconsiderate and just plain rude.
But even that can not prevent me from saying that this was one of the best performances of Jersey Boys I have seen in the last couple of months and I was once again reminded why I’ve seen it so many times. I truly love this show and as long as it is running in the West End I will be back for more.

Jersey Boys is showing at the Prince Edwards Theatre. For more info go to http://www.jerseyboyslondon.com/

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