I have to admit to being a little bit starry-eyed today. It could partly be the effects of the sequinned jackets adorning the performers in the show I went to see at Hull City Hall last night (Thursday, February 5), or perhaps the result of the stage lighting.
It could also be down to the dazzling production that saw the nigh-on full Hull house grooving to the sounds of The Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. I think it might, however, be meeting with headliner Peter Andre that has put an extra twinkle in these peepers.
Me and my partner Alan were delighted to be invited to see the musical show – a real trip down memory lane with hit after hit crammed into two acts – by Peter himself, after I interviewed him over the phone recently for a preview piece. He came across as a thoroughly nice man then; and it was confirmed during a snatched few minutes with the star in his dressing room just before he and his fellow performers were due on stage.
We were greeted warmly by a seemingly very relaxed Peter – me and Alan both went in to shake hands with him but he simply pulled each of us into a hug. We found out the show’s spangliest of ties and shoes were reserved for Peter, as he pointed out his show clothes.
A lively red jacket would mark the segment of the show where it would break for the interval – then the attire would get sparklier still, if that were even possible, he said. We chatted briefly, being conscious of time, with a meet-and-greet group waiting outside.
However, Peter seemed in no hurry to usher us out the door. He spoke about being excited for the show (and what we might think of it); his Cypriot heritage and we laughed about almost being related, based on an anecdote my cousin from Perth, in Australia, recently told at a family party.
With another hug of farewell and Peter thanking me for the interview I did, and both of us for attending, we were on our way, promising to text the star in the interval (which we duly did) about our impressions. Wishing him break a leg, he said, laughing: “When they say that in Australia, they mean it.”
Handing back our visitor passes, we learned from the lady looking after stage door matters that she understood Peter to be a very nice guy, something that was repeated later by other staff at City Hall, telling us the star had made a point of coming “front of house” to thank everyone, prior to the show.
Don’t you just love it when a star turns out to be so unstarry in their approach? Peter even arranged for a signed programme to be whisked to us in the auditorium before the start of the show.
He had earlier told me how he felt Hull audiences were among the best he has ever had. I don’t think the city let him down on that score last night.
Maybe a little shy of getting on their feet early on (though Peter encouraged it), there were nodding heads and mainly swaying-in-seats in the first numbers. Then things really ramped up and by the second half, it was party time, with many of the audience members up on their feet and dancing and singing with all their might (including us two).
There was always plenty of positive feedback by way of whistles and applause, right from the outset, and Peter, along with the incredible “Four Seasons” singers – Damion Scarcella, Hunter Berecochea, Tristan Ward and Daniel Slade – and their accompanying musicians all seemed to enjoy themselves immensely.
The show is crammed with hits (about 30 by my count) and is aimed at being true to the Frankie Valli sound but “adding a bit of a modern twist”, Peter had earlier explained. The production takes inspiration from the era – and even rivals of the time, such as the Beach Boys – to make up an upbeat collection of toe-tappers and sing-alongs.
Those trademark high-pitch notes were reached with ease by the singers, who added humour and some slick moves into the mix. They shimmied and shone through such as Working My Way Back To You, My Eyes Adored You, Sherry and Big Girls Don’t Cry, and did a lovely acapella rendition of Blue Moon.
There is sometimes that thing when you think you do not know a song by the title, but then recognise the opening bars straight away – well that happened a few times at the concert. Alan, who was not sure he was aware of many Frankie Valli songs, came away declaring he knew every single one of the numbers – he was particularly taken with a Motown medley – and said it was one of the finest shows he had seen and that the lead man was not just a superb artist but a genuinely lovely person, and looks forward to seeing him again in the future.
Close to the end was one of my favourite songs, Who Loves You, and I strained my vocal cords singing along to that and Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You. It defeats the object when you want to give a standing ovation and you are already on your feet – I think Peter and his fellow performers got the message.
Anyone who didn’t manage to get tickets and fancies experiencing the show for themselves, The Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons is going to be at Grimsby Auditorium, on Friday, March 13, at 7.30pm. Find out more at fourseasonsshow.com