When The Beatles and Mick Jagger’s Rolling Stones crossed the Atlantic and captured the hearts of a new generation, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons rapidly became America’s untold, and somewhat forgotten, story.

But, when Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice sat down with Frankie and his song writing sidekick, Bob Gaudio in a darkened restaurant, many years later, and interrogated their story for a possible musical, they knew they were onto something big.

And more than 20 years on Jersey Boys is still playing to packed houses across the world, the boys’ story has been told and this show remains one humdinger of a musical with more hits than many pop newbies could even dream of.

Jersey Boys may well have been intended as a ‘play about four guys who wrote music’ when it eventually fell from the pens of Brickman and Elice in 2004, however, it remains one of the most popular shows on the theatre circuit.

But, as I said in 2018 and again in 2022, to refer to it as a juke box musical would be an insult since it features a strong, real story of love, loss, Mafia intrigue and the powerful tale of four blue-collar boys from New Jersey who make the international big time.

By contrast, Mamma Mia’s story leaves me cold: something written purely as a way of showcasing Abba’s music. Jersey boys is a different kettle of fish. The story and the music are joined at the hip.

And what makes the difference, is that every one of the Four Seasons including, of course Frankie Valli, tells the story from his own perspective: Tommy DeVito the gambler who held the group together, or so HE believed, Valli the lady’s man who could always justify his sexual indiscretions, Nick Massi who liked everything neat and tidy and musical prodigy Bob Gaudio, a cut above but instrumental to the group’s success, or so HE thought!

The show rapidly seduces the audience with its string of hits and, if you don’t like the show, there’s always the amazing music: Oh What a Night, Rag Doll, My Eyes Adored You and, of course Let’s Hang on (to What We’ve Got).

This remains a slick production that is beautifully directed so that the action is not allowed to stop for a second, and director, Des McAnuff’s stagecraft is as key to the success of Bob Gaudio’s music as the numbers are themselves.

Clearly there was continuing friction between the original Four Seasons, Valli, Tommy Devito, Gaudio and Nick Massi, before Valli eventually became the definitive front man and evolved into Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

As Franki Valli said: “How much better does it get than to see your life pass before you, with a 20-minutes intermission, and never have to break a sweat?’ And on that score book writers, Brickman and Elice have triumphed.

But the real challenge going forward will be finding actors capable of bringing Gaudio’s historic hits to life but, I have to say, they’ve succeeded once again in 2026 and Oh What A Night!

The clean, choreographed lines of Lewis Kennedy as Nick Massi had me mesmerised: you really believed he was a man who needed his towels neat and tidy and his shirts twice ironed!

Wakefield boy, Luke Baker as Frankie Valli, proves that he has more than a touch of Yorkshire class, whilst Toby Miles as Bob Gaudio was as cultured as Carlo Boumouglbay as gambler Tommy DeVito was annoyingly good with his overbearing personality and accent.

This is a musical with a real story, about real people, true events and with music to die for. Here’s to the next decade.

Jersey BoysAlhambra, Bradford until Saturday August 1st