Jersey Boys – Hull New Theatre

Having seen the musical Jersey Boys several times now, both as a reviewer as well as a paying theatregoer, this recent production at the Hull New Theatre shows just why the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons is still filling theatres, 20 years after it was first staged.

The group’s music needs no introduction – hit followed hit with the likes of Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like a Man, My Eyes Adored You, Beggin’, Rag Doll and many more.

And on Monday night in Hull, we in the full-ish theatre were treated to all these songs with plenty of their other hits thrown in.

Classed as a “musical biography”, we were not only treated to the most wonderful music and singing, but also to the story of where it all began – in Noo Joisey, oh sorry, got carried away there, I mean New Jersey, America.

The Four Seasons (a name arrived at in due course), sons of Italian immigrants, lived in a very rough area that meant jail sentences for some group members were regular occurrences.

However, young Francesco Stephen Castelluccio, being the youngest, usually got away with a clip around the ear from the local cops.

As the group sought to become established and fought for record companies to give them a chance, it was Castelluccio’s falsetto voice that drew the most attention.

The owner of that iconic voice changed his name to Frankie Valli and the world of music began to sit up and take notice.

On Monday, four extremely talented performers – the incomparable Luke Baker as Valli, Carlo Boumouglbay as Tommy DeVito, Lewis Kennedy as Nick Massi and Toby Miles as Bob Gaudio – took us from the crime-ridden streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, acting out each group member’s story from the four lads’ formation in 1960 to their 1990 induction into the prestigious Hall of Fame.

And as we learned, the boys’ on-stage harmonies gave no indication of the off-stage disharmony that threatened the group’s future time and time again.

The stage setting had an industrial feel to it, with metal girders, staircases, walkways et al, with tables, chairs, desks, mics, sofas etc all being wheeled on in the blink of an eye; the most impressive item regularly making an appearance being a huge set of drums.

My favourite of any performance is when the musicians appear on stage; they should never be hidden away, room permitting, as they are obviously a huge part of any musical. 

As well as the drums, we enjoyed music from a multitude of instruments all under the direction of Lauren Ronan, who also conducted on the night.

A huge video backdrop appeared at times with images relating to on-stage events.

Costumes are of the time with glittery, showbizzy dresses for the female dancers, not so glittery outfits for the males, while the gear of Frankie and the Four Seasons goes up a notch with every hit song, from their famous red suits to sequinned lapels.

The story is told through the seasons, starting with Spring through to Summer, Fall and Winter – possibly the winter of discontent?

The songs, as fantastic as they are, almost take a back seat to the gripping storyline which features everything from love, lust, comedy, sadness, tragedy, betrayal, the Mafia and most of all, loyalty – resulting in a decision Frankie makes about a $1m debt accrued by one band member.

What these four go through, it’s not surprising the F word gets a regular outing. I’d be swearing, too, at times.

Each song matches the storyline – a tear-jerking moment sees Baker as Valli singing Fallen Angel while happier times bring forth the group singing Sherry. Miles as song-writer Gaudio gave us plenty to laugh at as he headed upstairs with a good-time gal, as a naive innocent in the ways of women, only to emerge triumphantly strutting around like a man of the world. Of course, the accompanying song had to be December 1963 (Oh What a Night). 

However, it’s Baker’s unbelievably good rendition of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You that brings the house down. The applause from a stunned audience seemed never-ending.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Jersey Boys, co-written by Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman (with this production directed by Des McAnuff), runs for another 20 years. It is so good.

Everyone on stage on the night did a wonderful job in entertaining the audience. Boumouglbay, Kennedy and Miles, as three of the Four Seasons sang and danced their way through hit after hit. Each one’s different personality perfectly shone through – Boumouglbay’s swaggering DeVito, Massi’s quieter, yet forthright and explosive stance and Miles’s thoughtful yet no-nonsense nature.

Miles had a wonderful singing voice, too. In fact, the whole group harmonised to perfection.

But it would be remiss of me not to single out Baker as Valli. Close your eyes and you would think Valli himself was up on the stage.

At the show’s finale, we in the audience didn’t hesitate to stand, applaud and cheer the super-talented cast. September 2026 (oh what a night!).

Age guidance 12+ 

Jersey Boys runs until Saturday, October 3, 2026 at Hull New Theatre with tickets available from www.hulltheatres.co.uk or (01482) 300306

Reviewer: Jackie Foottit

Reviewed: 28th September 2026

North West End UK Rating: