Review: Jersey Boys

21/07/2026 at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford by Stuart Clarkson

I’ve somehow not managed to see Jersey Boys in the 20 years it’s been a musical theatre hit – though I did watch the 2014 film version a few years back. And now I’m kicking myself for never having been to see this masterpiece on the stage before!

The Four Seasons hits speak for themselves and are perhaps what audiences keep coming back to enjoy. From Sherry and Big Girls Don’t Cry to Walk Like a Man, December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, every number lands with precision and infectious energy. Unlike many jukebox musicals, these songs don’t feel shoe-horned into the narrative – they are the narrative, charting the band’s successes, struggles and personal relationships.

Structured around the four “seasons” of the band’s rise and fall, the show charts their journey from New Jersey street corners to international superstardom. The format is fairly unique to musical theatre – allowing the four main members of the band to regularly break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience as narrators, each telling the story from their own perspective. There’s drama, plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, great music and a touch of mafia too!

The four principal characters work superbly together – their harmonies are breathtaking throughout, perfectly recreating the unmistakable sound that made The Four Seasons famous without sounding like a tribute act. Each actor is given moments to shine individually, but it’s when the quartet performs together that the production truly soars. There was a brilliant reaction for Yorkshireman Luke Baker who was on home turf in Bradford and shines as Frankie Valli. He effortlessly delivers that famous falsetto sound and switches with ease between the belting vocals in upbeat numbers and a beautiful soulful voice in the ballads.

Visually, the production is slick and economical. Scene changes on a simple but effective set are seamless (I enjoyed characters zooming in on chairs on wheels!); lighting is imaginative (a great effect when we see the stage from the back!); and choreography is energetic at times but also smartly replicates the dance moves of boybands of the early 60s. The live band captures the unmistakable sound of the era with style and authenticity too – and it was great to see them revealed on stage at the end of the show.

Jersey Boys is funny, moving, brilliantly performed and packed with timeless songs – and the 20th anniversary tour reminds us that great storytelling and great pop records never go out of fashion. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons or discovering their music for the first time, this production delivers an evening of musical theatre that hits all the right notes.

Jersey Boys continues at the Bradford Alhambra until 1st August and the UK tour is now booking through until summer 2027. Locations coming up include Cardiff, Manchester, Hull, Edinburgh, Stoke, Birmingham, Southampton, Oxford, Belfast, Norwich, Blackpool, Sheffield, Liverpool, Plymouth and many more!

Visit the official site HERE