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The Boys are in town – Review of Jersey Boys, Brisbane

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Jersey Boys Brisbane Review

There was a hush around the theatre. Everyone was dead silent. And then it just exploded. So started the Jersey Boys story on the stage with everyone’s favourite tunes.

With a dramatic setting, a high value cast, and an engaging storyline, the Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons opened for its premier season in Brisbane at the Lyric theatre at QPAC.

What was intensely appealing was the way the story was narrated, engaging everyone, even those who hadn’t grown up with America’s answer to the Beatles. The narration by different cast members explained how the the brand of Jersey Boys was developed and the familiar tunes that we all know them by. How it was such a trial and error, how they found the sound. The narrator explained it, and the actors performed it. A seamless integrated blend of high value theatrics. Absolutely brilliant!

Perhaps it is a sign of the brilliant direction but everyone had their story to tell and the show featured that person’s views impeccably. Franki Valli’s story was the least important (in a way). More social drama than business drama.

Then the music itself! There was not one flat note. The vocal projections were superb. How did they ever find so many artists with such superb voices?

Intermission was welcome and in the second half you related to their exhaustion. The show just built on the story in the second half.

Hats off to the set designer (Klara Zieglerovaas). The props and the stage setup was amazing. Everything moved fluidly. Such artistry!

I couldn’t find anything that was wrong with the show. Appointment was amazing, the details were superb. The trademarks gestures were spot on.

Very uplifting and put you in a feel good moment. Captivating. And it is great story – well told – sad but uplifting. Everyone was on their feet at the end. Go see it.

What?

Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

Where?

Lyric Theatre, QPAC

When?

July 14 – September 16

How?

http://www.qpac.com.au/event/Jersey_Boys_12.aspx?showTab=Overview

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Learn about Bulgaria for Kids

Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is in Southeastern Europe that’s bordered by Greece, Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia and the Black Sea. It was founded from an empire that deeply influenced the Slavic nations and was once part of the Eastern bloc controlled by Russia.

Bulgaria Facts

  • Bulgaria is 42,855 square miles, or 110,994 square kilometers, with a population near 6.5 million.
  • Its capital and largest city is Sofia.
  • The Bulgarian Empire, from which the nation takes its name, took power in the area in the late 7th century and developed Cyrillic script, which is used for many Slavic languages. The country was under Ottoman rule for almost five centuries, but it declared its independence in 1908.
  • Bulgaria sided with Germany in both world wars and became part of the Eastern bloc led by the Soviet Union in 1946. The Communist Party ceded control in the late 1980s and Bulgaria adopted a democratic constitution in 1991.
  • It is a unitary parliamentary republic with a president and a prime minister as well as a National Assembly.
  • The word Bulgar might have some from a word meaning to mix or stir, or a derivative of that word that means revolt or disorder. About 85 percent of the country is ethnically Bulgarian, and the official language is Bulgarian.

Bulgarian National Symbols

The Bulgarian flag is made of three horizontal stripes, one white, one green and one red. It was adopted when they gained independence from the Ottoman Empire.

The national anthem, “Mila Rodino,” or “Dear Motherland,” was adopted in 1964 but its lyrics have been changed many times, most recently in 1990, and a shortened version was approved in 1991.

The Eurasian griffon vulture is considered the national bird, and a lion is used as it heraldic symbol.

The patron saint of Bulgaria is Saint John of Rila, the first Bulgarian hermit, whose followers founded many churches in his honor, including the famous Rila Monastery, now a UNESCO World Heritage site (and a very cool looking building).

The national instrument is the kaba gaida, a bagpie that is native to Bulgaria.

Bulgaria Activities for Kids

Listen to the kaba giada in this video, or you can listen for two hours(!) here.

Learn more about Bulgarian folk dancing and watch some people doing it. The people in this video are also wearing traditional Bulgarian folk costumes, which is fun to see. (As a knitter I love those socks!) You can learn more about Bulgarian folk costumes here or at Meet the Slavs.

See what your name looks like in Cyrillic and see if you can write it! You can also learn the sounds of the Bulgarian alphabet here.

Learn more about Bulgaria from Kids World Travel Guide, or check out the resources available at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Wonders of Bulgaria has a good rundown of traditional Bulgarian foods you might want to try. For kids I’d suggest their version of moussaka, which is like the Greek dish only made with potatoes and not eggplant or zucchini. The Modern Nonna has a version that includes carrots, but they’re optional.