You may not know the story of the Four Seasons, or even care about the behind-the-scenes tales. No matter. “Jersey Boys” is back at the National Theatre, and if you like to be entertained, this is still your prime big-night-out destination. Though this may come as no shock, but you don’t have to be a baby boomer to appreciate the timeless music of the exquisite score. The tunes sing for themselves, with such infectious pop classics as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” In fact, the instantly recognizable hits have never sounded better, as relayed by a quartet with plenty of salty Jersey flavor and off-the-charts vocal charm.
Des McAnuff creates striking stage pictures to underscore the rise and fall (and rise again) of one of the most beloved bands in history, a story that runs the gamut from their skyrocketing fame and fortune to their unexpected financial decline, highlighting some of their personal triumphs and travails along the way. It’s a tempered narrative, told from four distinctive points of view, and by the end of the journey each band member seems to have the last word.
| Onstage |
| ‘Jersey Boys’ |
| Where: National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW |
| When: Performance schedule varies; through Jan. 7 |
| Info: $36.50 to $251.50; 800-447-7400; nationaltheatre.org |
Those words are carefully crafted by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, who cobble together just enough witty banter to make up for the thorn in this show’s side — their by-the-numbers, linear story line. The brazen tone established from the beginning is a sort of freestyle American storytelling, with its sharply choreographed, overly demonstrative explanations for almost every line of the book. The humor of “Jersey Boys” tends to be blatant — well, everything is blatant here, from its unnecessary amplifiers to the cheesy, comic strip backdrops — and yet despite its offputting lack of subtlety, it’s really impossible to resist.
That’s largely thanks to the boys in “Jersey Boys.” As with any musical group, there has to be a star in the midst, and this evening’s focal point is, of course, Valli. He is the irrefutable headliner — fail to cast a bona fide replica in the role and the whole production feels pedestrian. Luckily, this tour finds Joseph Leo Bwarie in top form as Valli’s facsimile, a bright and shiny young crooner with limber vocal acrobatics and an ever-magnetic presence. Bwarie’s voice is rich and lush in his lower register, and clear as a bell in his falsetto range, producing a brilliant sound that is matched by the formidable talents of castmates John Gardiner, Preston Truman Boyd, and Michael Lomenda, all of whom attack each song with athletic fervor.
With such crisp performances that make each song sound as fresh as the day it hit the airwaves, this production of “Jersey Boys” joyfully builds to a night to remember.
