Hit after hit in Four Seasons tale

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The Gisborne Centre Stage production of Jersey Boys begins in the housing projects of 1950s New Jersey where we meet the notorious Tommy DeVito, who started the band The Four Seasons.

Joshua Lobb captures DeVito’s smart-talking, petty crim personality, a boy born on the wrong side of the tracks who is unable to resist a grift. They soon recruit Gaudio who has a gift for writing hits and the band’s story unfolds.

A straightforward single scaffold-style set; tight on-the-spot choreography and a well-rehearsed script has each of the band members addressing the audience directly. The storytelling is done confidently and gives us insight to each of the band members personalities from the enigmatic Nick Massi (Alex Raines) who irons his shirts twice and is constantly talking about starting his own group to the clean cut Gaudio (Bruce Reid).

It works because it is a good story of mob connections, prison spells, bad debts, soaring success and the band imploding.

Their rise comes off the back of a whole lot of hard work, gig after gig with scenes rolling by at pace. Frankie Valli played by Tahi Paenga is a likeable character and one you feel sorry for as he is pushed to his limits by the relentless touring and his fractious relationship with DeVito.

The hits come thick and fast and if you’re not a Four Seasons aficionado, this is a show full of ‘oh did they write that?’ moments, from Can’t Take My Eyes Off You to Working My Way.

A highlight when the music and choreography came together beautifully was when they don cobalt blue blazers and sing Sherry and Big Girls Don’t Cry. The emotional climax comes later in the second half when Frankie receives a call from his daughter and is dealt a crippling blow. The story carries us along but the momentum is in the music as the band charge towards fame and beyond. There is plenty of humour too with James Packman getting lots of laughs as the band’s camp music producer Bob Crewe.

From the soft and heartfelt Cry For Me to the upbeat Walk Like a Man, there’s an infectious energy throughout as Frankie and the band give it their all. By the finale you’ll be tapping your feet and singing along to the very catchy Oh What a Night.