Jersey Boys Stage Musical depicts the real story behind their battle to the top for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. With a string of #1 hits, the road to stardom was never easy for the boys from Jersey.

Jersey Boys Review Theatre Royal Sydney

Jersey Boys is a show for anyone that loves music and in particular those who remember Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Now playing at the Theatre Royal Sydney, this is one for perhaps the baby boomers who love walking down memory lane.

The Four Seasons originally formed in their hometown of Jersey, New York, around 1960 as the 4 Lovers and the show begins under the street lights where they rehearsed.

You follow them as the 4 Lovers, making mistakes in their daily life in the rough and tumble world of their hometown. Yet they believe in their talent and dream of a grander life, performing in small clubs and seedy bars, trying to break into the big time and land that all elusive recording contract.

A change of name to the Four Seasons and luck in replacing one member with a singer song writer, who had had previous success with a song, “Who Wears Short Shorts”, finally gave them a break and consecutive #1 hits.

Success also comes with many personal challenges, as the Jersey Boys find out. Love lives are strained, girls, booze and drugs are there for the taking, leading to off stage conflicts and eventual group breakdown.

This show doesn’t tarnish anything or gloss over personal faults, which really draws the audience into each scene. Brilliantly produced, the songs bring alive the personal struggles of the Four Seasons and you sit there mesmerized by the individuals, their colourful language and peculiar friendship. Of course the familiar songs, brought to life on stage again, are wonderfully sung by a very talented group. They may not be the original Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, but perform very close to perfection for most of the older ears in the audience.

The entire show flows perfectly, blocking out any chance for a quick poppy or nanna nap, with the music making the feet tap in time with the beat and those memories filling the gap of many years past. You get to sing and clap along with great hits such as “Sherry”, “Big Boys Don”t Cry”, “Rag Doll” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Of You”.

There’s alway a sign at the end of every show if it has been a success with the audience. Jersey Boys received one of the loudest ovations I have ever heard, and all of that noise came from an audience whose ages were predominately over 60 years old.

Is Jersey Boys good?

The lights in those aged eyes told me it was fantastic. (I loved it too.)

Jersey Boys is currently playing at the Theatre Royal Sydney.

Theatre Royal is located on King Street in the MLC Building.
There is paid car parking below the theatre.
The Theatre Royal is close to both Martins Place and St James Rail Stations, plus bus stops in Castlereagh St, Elizabeth St and George St.
Sydney Monorail is located 2 blocks away near corner of Pitt St Mall.
There is plenty of good hotels near the theatre. Our choice was Sheraton on the Park. One block from the Theatre Royal.

Hairspray Musical now showing at the Princess Theatre Spring St Melbourne. Fabulous fun and shockingly vibrant, Hairspray will keep the audience tapping their toes and laughing at the happingings of the Corny Collins Show.

This review is for Hairspray, the much loved musical about those heady days of the late fifties and early sixties, when rock and roll was king and you could bop till you drop. If your old enough to remember those days, cast your mind back to the Australian television shows called Bandstand or Johnny O’Keefes “6 O’Clock Rock”, this is the type of television show Hairspray was built on. Hairspray was actually based on an American television series set in Baltimore called The Buddy Deane Show. It’s 1962 and the Corney Collins Show is the centerpiece for Hairspray the Musical.

John Waters Hairspray started life as a movie in 1988. Went into Broadway production in 2002 and was re-done as a movie starring John Travolta in 2007. Once again the popularity of Hairspray has proved to be endless with a successful opening season in Melbourne. Make sure you book early for Hairspray as it packs the theatre to the rafters.

With new star Jaz Flowers playing the role of Tracy Turnblad, the young, vivacious and somewhat curvy lass is breaking her heart to become a member of the Corny Collins Show. With Trevor Ashley playing Edna, Tracy Turnblad’s mother and Scott Irwin as Corny Collins, the production is lively and loud, backed by some of Australia’s best dancers and performers. Grant Piro who stars as Wilbur Turnblad, is well known as the writer and host of the television show “Couch Potato” and also starred in Sons and Daughters back in the nineties. The cast are all fine performers and the colourful costumes fit the times.

The entire cast does the production proud. The music is vibrant, beginning with “Good Morning Baltimore” and continuing through to the finale and all the dancers are brilliant. You really are mesmerized from beginning to end and a standing ovation seems fitting from a very appreciative audience.

Most of us have seen Hairspray the movie at least one or twice. The stage production that is now showing at The Princess Theatre in Spring St Melbourne is fantastic. Don’t hesitate to book for this one. there are plenty of good hotels in the area you can stay the night while in Melbourne, or if you are a local, just go and enjoy the experience. Hairspray is one fabulous night of sound and colour, memories and music. Hairspray is lively, funny, sad and controversial, but above all else it’s pure entertainment!

Mary Poppins Musical now playing at Her Majesty's Theatre Melbourne and Opening at the Capital Theatre Sydney in April 2011

Right now Melbourne is the place to be if you are a musical aficionado. With Mary Poppins showing at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Exhibition St and Hairspray at the Princess Theatre in Spring St, a weekend in Melbourne is a double delight.

Mary Poppins is simply breathtaking. From beginning to end you will be spellbound by the acting, singing, choreography and special effects. Produced by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, starring Verity Hunt-Ballard as Mary Poppins, the cast includes Matt Lee as Bert the chimney sweep, Philip Quast as Mr George Banks, Marina Prior as Mrs Winifred Banks, Sally Anne Upton as Mrs Brill.

Mary Poppins is based on the books by P.L.Travers, who is an Australian, and the 1964 movie which starred Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Something I found talking to other eager patrons waiting for the show to begin, was that the majority didn’t know that it was written by an Australian and also that Julie Andrews won an Oscar playing Mary Poppins in the movie. Ahhh trivia, isn’t it wonderful.

Verity Hunt-Ballard as Mary, pulled it off spectacularly, and you could really become so wrapped up in the show you may be forgiven if you thought Mary was actually Julie Andrews on the night. That’s how good Verity Hunt-Ballard performed.

Bert the Chimney Sweep played by Matt Lee in stage musical Mary Poppins.

You could sing along to those timeless songs such as Chim Chim Cheree, A Spoonful of Sugar and of course Supercalifragalisticexpialidocious. Special effects were stunning and some of the magical stunts would make a professional magician proud. How does Mary get so many items out of a travelling bag?

The entire production kept you immersed in the story until finally Mary’s job was done, and not wanting to spoil your experience, the finale is something you will just have to see yourself. This is truly the highlight of the show which leaves you completely gobsmacked.

If I had to rate Mary Poppins it would be 5 plus from 5 and certainly a show that I will see again. Sydney siders may have been upstaged with Melbourne hosting the show first, but Sydney theatre fans will get their chance to enjoy Mary Poppins next April when it opens at the Capitol Theatre.

Mary Poppins Musical is a show you must experience, because it is just that, an absolute adventure into the magical world of 19th century England. What an experience and what a show!

Hairspray Musical Theatre Production Melbourne.

Having seen each movie many, many times over, each show will be familiar yet different as all stage productions are. Take Mamma Mia for example, each had it’s own fans yet watching a live performance is usually a very rewarding experience, even for those not addicted to stage productions. Personally, there is nothing that comes close to the theatre. To see the props, costumes and actors in the flesh is so much better than the celluloid take.

Anyway you can soon read our reviews and thoughts on both shows and hopefully people in other Aussie cities will get the opportunity to see each show once the Melbourne seasons are over. I don’t know if Hairspray can pull it off after watching John Travolta portray Tracy’s mother Edna on the big screen, but will wait for the day before forming an opinion regarding that one. The original Broadway production of Hairspray ran for something like 6 years and picked up 8 Tony awards including “best Musical”, so we should be in for something special.

May Poppins on the other hand will probably be one of the real classics. Apparently the costumes are superb and the entire production first class from beginning to end. Can’t wait!

If your thinking about seeing Mama Mia in Sydney, you better make up your mind soon, as the season closes mid February. Currently playing at the Lyric Theatre, Star City, Mamma Mia is one show you really shouldn’t miss.

Right from the opening scene, you are drawn into the story and you feel for the poor girl who just wants to meet her real father on her wedding day. You will be laughing at the comedy, tapping your toes to the music of ABBA and singing along to the familiar songs.

The show is excellent from go to whoa, and one of the most enjoyable I have seen. The cast does a superb job of re-creating the characters you may have seen in the movie, yet on-stage live, there is that certain quality that cannot be captured on film. One things for sure, on-stage the voice of the leading male performer is miles better than in the movie. No offence to Pierce Brosnan intended.

As the curtain draws to a close and the performers take their bows to a standing ovation, you are treated to an extra special performance where you can dance along with the cast and sing those age old favorite ABBA songs at the top of your voice. This tops off a night of pure enjoyment.

We highly recommend Mamma Mia to all. Make sure you see it before it’s gone.

Now playing at the Capitol Theatre Sydney, Wicked is right up there with the best musicals ever produced. Big, bright and stunningly produced, Wicked is a musical that will enthrall the audience with wonder, while entertaining and holding the fans attention with fabulous scores, great lighting and a magical atmosphere. Stunning, powerful, comical and spellbinding, Wicked totally rocks.

I recently had the absolute pleasure to enjoy Wicked for the second time, after seeing the show early this year when it played in Melbourne. The second time around was as good as the first and if I get the chance, I would certainly see the show again and again.

But it’s the musical that really counts, and what a fabulous production. Wicked knocks your socks right off and the 2 leading ladies bring their characters, “Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West” and “Glinda the Good” to life. Their singing and acting are superb and both young ladies make the show special with their unique talents.

Great support from all the cast plus terrific roles played by Millsy and Bert Newton, who plays the Wizard, enthrall and delight the audience throughout this fabulous production.

Wicked tells the story of the the Witches of Oz, just before Dorothy made her entrance along the Yellow Brick Road, where she skipped merrily along to see The Wizard of Oz.

Elphaba is a young, smart and a very green young witch with Glinda very beautiful, ambitious, but somewhat the typical dizzy blonde. Their friendship grows at magic school, but is changed by the happenings in this storybook land when Elphaba’s talent for magic is exploited by those with power.

Wicked the Musical explores love and life, happiness and sorrow and the whole evening ends too qucickly, with the audience totally enrapt by the performance.

Do yourself a huge favor and book your seat before it’s too late. Wicked is simply superb and you will totally enjoy the whole production. For those from interstate pondering the thought of going to Sydney to see the Wicked musical, just grab those tickets and do it.

The Capitol Theatre is such a wonderful venue and only about 5 blocks from the centre of Sydney and close to Darling Harbour. We stayed at the Novotel Hotel on Darling Harbour and it took us just 10 minutes after the show, to walk from the Capitol Theatre to our room on the sixth floor. So if your worrying about the show being at the Capitol Theatre and getting back to your hotel at night, don’t be alarmed. Sydney is safe and the theatre close to all the favorite accommodation houses.

Wicked has a limited season at the Capitol Theatre so dont miss out. Bookings can be made online at Ticketmaster.com.au or Showbiz.com.au.