REVIEW: LET’S HANG ON

PAVILION THEATRE, BOURNEMOUTH

Following Frankie Valli’s recent successful UK tour, the great entertainer’s golden legacy and long sparkling career with the Four Seasons is faithfully and respectfully recreated by this wonderful show.

Polished and professional, Dino Buttarazzi on lead guitar, Martin Peat on soulful bass, and Jay Harrison on eloquent keyboards and strong lead vocals, provide the distinctive Four Seasons harmony vocals.

Playing the extraordinary four-octave vocal range Frankie Valli, debutant Stephen James is a promising front man, hitting those spine-tingling falsetto notes while improvising melody lines.

Backed by a stylish three-piece horn section, atmospheric lighting and overhead projections, this is a pacy tight show.

Highlights include the doo-wop a cappella Blue Moon, and the Cole Porter Frank Sinatra poppified classic I’ve Got You Under My Skin.

The funky title song from Grease, the intelligent lyrics of Working My Way Back To You Babe, and the pop perfection of Rag Doll are reinforced by the moving Fallen Angels and the hooky Big Man In Town, Dawn, and December ’63 (Oh What A Night!), representing a terrific back catalogue.

The feel-good finale – featuring the iconic Jersey Boys red jackets – includes the sing-along Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like A Man, Bye-Bye Baby, and the catchy hum-it-all-the-way-home Let’s Hang On.

If you missed the real Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, catch this brilliant tribute show at Wimborne’s Tivoli Theatre on Friday June 23 and Fareham’s Ferneham Hall on Friday July 28.

Brendan McCusker