Jersey Boys: The Show Which I Couldn’t Take My Eyes Off! 😊❤️🎭
Hello world! Welcome back to another blog. Today I’m going to talk about the time I went to watch Jersey Boys at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham on 1st July 2026.
This tells the story of the iconic Frankie Valli and the four seasons, and what went on in front of and behind the scenes of the legendary quartet. How I’m going to do this review is based on my own research as well, as before the show I didn’t know much about their backstory of the band everyone remembers today, but through the show I managed to get an insight into what happened, as if I’m travelling through time. So I will be talking about each character as if I met the actual people from the story.
Carlo Boumouglbay took on the role of Tommy Devito, the so-called leader of the group and narrated the story in the Spring season at the beginning of the show. What I’ve learnt about him was that he was someone you do not want to mess with, and feels like he knows pretty much everything. I also learnt that yes he led the group, but it got to a point where he didn’t take any of the other members suggestions, which did cause friction, soon leading to a decision for his own terms. I’ve also learnt he was quite sneaky, as seen in act 2 where he was trying to flirt with Frankie’s girlfriend at the time Lorraine, so I could see why the band had some friction. Mind you, after reading the story again and where he originally began, if it wasn’t for taking Frankie under his wing in the first place, the Four Seasons wouldn’t even exist.
Toby Miles took on the role of Bob Gaudio, who narrated the story in the Summer. What I’ve learnt from him was that he was a pure talent, helping the band get noticed with the songs he wrote. But after teaming with Frankie to push him as a solo artist, realised that he was more comfortable and strongest behind the scenes. This tells me that he needed to do what was right for him, and it also reassured me that it was okay to change my mind.
Lewis Kennedy took on the role of Nick Massi, who narrated the story in the Fall season. What I got from him was that he was someone who just wanted a career with no drama, and how he had bigger ambitions (and the way he used the gag thoroughly the show was entertaining). Nick also showed me how sometimes taking a step back is a good thing, particularly when it takes a toll on your mental health, and that didn’t stop him from being part of one of the most iconic bands throughout history. But nonetheless, he was a key part of the group and story, and I know that the real Nick Massi would be looking down right now proud that his part of the story was told.
Ellis Kirk took on the role of the brilliant Frankie Valli, who narrated the Winter season of the story as the final part of the show. What I learnt about Frankie was that he was a hustler, and from the first note he aunt, he wanted to do well for himself. I’ve also learnt that with hard work comes consequences, as he neglected his family in the process. What this tells me is that he was abit of a workaholic, but a tragic event at the end of the show made him realise that he needed to balance work and personal life, and I know the real Frankie Valli would be proud of Ellis to tell his story. And his voice was spectacular, I will say that.
Throughout the show there were other people who had an impact on the journey of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Two of them included Frankie’s lovers Mary Degaldo, played by Sydnie Hocknell, and Lorraine, played by Olivia Mitchell. For Mary, I’ve learnt that she was a first love of Frankie and knew each other since high school, but the commitment to the Four Seasons definitely put their relationship to the test. For Lorraine, it was great on how she helped Frankie be happy during that dark moment, but I do understand why she left him when she did, as she was only respecting her boundaries throughout. But I loved Ellis’ connection with both Sydnie and Olivia, showing the highs and lows of Frankie’s navigation of the world of romance whilst being in a legendary band.
There was also Frankie’s daughter Francine, played by Artemis Chrisoulakis. She was a rebellious girl, but my guess was that it was partly linked to Frankie not being around much. But if it wasn’t for her death at the age of 22, Frankie wouldn’t have had the wake up call he needed.
Throughout the show someone who was linked to the legendary quartet was Joe Pesci played by Aiden Carson (and yes THE Joe Pesci). I wasn’t too sure if he was a manager of some sort, but he definitely was the biggest cheerleader for this band, and was also the one who recommended Bob Gaudio to join. And through Aiden’s interpretation, I’ve learnt he was a key figure that without him, the Four Seasons wouldn’t even exist.
One person standing in the quarters way was monster Gyp DeCarlo played by Fed Zanni, and Tommy's loan shark Norm Waxman, played by Oliver Tester. As a band you’re going to face many challenges, and owing money was one of them. But Fed and Oliver did a good job in making their presence as villains known, wanting to get their objectives across and making their intentions clear. It also got a glimpse of the horror the actual Four Seasons had to go through when they went on their journey to stardom, also showing that you never know what the greats are going through.
There was also manager Bob Crewe, played by Michael Levi. I felt like he was quite specific in what he wanted, hence why he told the quartet that he wanted a hit, not songs. Mind you, if it wasn’t for pushing the group to write them, they wouldn’t be as well known as they are today, which I guess is a similar thing in today’s society, as stepping outside of your comfort zone is the thing you need in order to gain success.
SWINGS
I also wanted to give a shoutout to the Swings, as without them, there would be no show, as they would need to learn everything incase one of the cast for whatever reason can't do the show. I would also like to give a shoutout to Damien Winchester who played Barry Belson, and Jarryd Nurden who played comedian Hank Majewski. For Damien, he took on the role of this radio DJ brilliantly, showing his enthusiasm and passion for the quartets new song, particularly "Sherry", For Jarryd, it may only be a small part, but I like to call it the "Herod/Pharoah" moment (for anyone who's a musical theatre fan, you'll know what I mean). Yes he may only appear for one moment, but it was something memorable, and important for the quartet's journey. And shoutout to Jarryd for kicking cancer's backside to do what he loves the most, and I hope this inspires others to do what they want and not let cancer stop you!
The songs in the show were also great, with the audience quietly joining in, which was both comforting and joyous. My favourites in particular included “Oh What A Night”, “Sherry” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry”. I also liked “Beggin” as I’ve heard the modernised version by Madcon, and it was great to see how the original version was heard. What I also liked was how they showed footage of the real 4 seasons during some of the songs, which made you feel like you’re actually transported to that era. I would also surprised that i enjoyed “I Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” as I remembered this tune from somewhere where at first I didn't recognise it, but once the chorus came in, I was joining in with everyone else
I don’t think I have any downsides to the show, but I’ll admit, at the beginning it was a little slow to start with. But once the songs kicked in and the stories got going, I was having the time of my life. There were also a couple of times that some phones went off, which was annoying. But the way the actors carried on when it happened shows the professionalism they carried, and how it didn’t distract them from bringing to life the iconic band everyone still remembers today.
Overall I would give the show a 4.95. Yes it was abit slow to start with, but once the songs kicked in and the story really got gritty, I was really getting stuck in. And my friend who came with me (who saw the show on Broadway a few years ago and saw the real Frankie Valli back in 2021) certainly had the time of her life!
And that is it for my review of Jersey Boys. Let me know if you’ve seen the show and what your thoughts are, and if you haven’t, let me know where you’re going to see it. Click the link below to find the dates for the rest of the 20th Anniversary tour.
Also watch the YouTube short below of me going to the venue itself!
See you soon for another blog. Until next time…
This is The Autistic Actress signing off :)
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