Jersey Boys - Prince Edward Theatre

I hate jukebox musicals. That's what I tell people, anyway. And mostly it's true. While I admit they can be fun, it annoys me that people are going in their droves to see things like Mamma Mia! over and over again, and really good original musicals like the short-lived Marguerite are being overlooked.
The one jukebox musical for which I make an exception is Jersey Boys, which uses the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. I first went to see it several months ago, having heard that Glenn Carter, who had really impressed me in several productions in the Derby Playhouse, was going to be in it.
That time, I have to admit that I wasn't expecting too much. So it was a surprise and a delight to find that it was one of the best musicals I'd seen in ages.
A lot of it, of course, is down to the songs. Hits like Sherry Baby, Beggin' and Who Loves You can still get audiences on their feet and clapping. For me, though, the thing that really sets Jersey Boys apart is the fact that, instead of picking the songs and coming up with some sort of story to fit around them, like many jukebox musicals do, it actually uses the music to tell the story of the group's rise to fame.
The all-important central performances are terrific - I was glad that Glenn Carter, as Tommy DeVito, was every bit as good as I expected, but all of the leads were excellent - Stephen Ashfield is impressive, funny and sweet as the young but astute Bob Gaudio, and Ryan Molloy's Valli-esque singing is a highlight.
Having enjoyed Jersey Boys so much the first time, it seemed the ideal show to go and see again recently as a pre-Christmas treat. I was disappointed to find that Stephen Ashfield was not performing on the day I went, but I needn't have worried - his replacement, Kieran Jae, was terrific and seemed very comfortable in the role. The show was just as good as I remembered, and if anything I enjoyed it more for being familiar with it already.
I left the theatre wanting to go right back in and stay for the next performance, and I confess I'm seriously considering going for a third time. Oh dear. Is this my Mamma Mia?