Doo-wopping the night away

REVIEW: Big Girls Don’t Cry

Eden Court

*****

“LET’S doo-wop the night away!” the four Eastcoast Boys singers behind Big Girls Don’t Cry invited their Eden Court crowd on Friday.

The show was a song-packed extravaganza of fun, with exceptional voices and an ace four-piece band that celebrated the authentic sound of Franki Valli and The Four Seasons from the 60s and 70s, made popular again by the Jersey Boys musical telling their story.

A lot of the band’s biggest original hits and the hit musical’s most powerful numbers – Big Girls Don't Cry, Sherry, December 1963 (Oh, What A Night), My Eyes Adored You, Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Working My Way Back To You and Rag Doll – were in there.

But, if like me, it had been a while since you had reminded yourself of the music, you would be surprised just how many hits the band had – and how fresh this show made those 31 songs sound.

The easy charm and gentle contemporary humour of the Seasons’ singers – Alex Marshall, David Hinton-Gale and Dylan Turner – made a savvy accompaniment to the drop-dead gorgeous music, authentic arrangements and subtle but effective choregraphic moves.

Immediately Liam Lakin – singing Franki Valli – got the crowd onside with his playful banter.

Less than impressed by our typically Inverness slightly introverted start joining in and applauding opening number Big Girls Don’t Cry, he teased us: “Aw, come on, what are you drinking out there – Night Nurse?”

It didn’t take long to warm the crowd up and the singers’ invitation hit home – in their authentic New Jersey accents: “If you know the words sing along, if you don’t, hum along – but, most of all, have a good time!”

It wasn’t difficult as they fired through the songs while dipping into the story of the singers without getting bogged down in all the detail.

Best moments of many included their performance of Will You Love Me Tomorrow, My Eyes Adored You, number one both sides of the Atlantic in 1975, Valli hit Grease, the pre-Bay city Rollers’ Bye Bye Baby “with a lot less tartan” and encore December 1963 (Oh What A Night).