I thought any real enthusiasm for the popular music of the 50s and 60s had largely passed me by. But Jim McMullen's fast and deft production of Jersey Boys is a reminder that these things leave their mark even on those who were not passionate fans at the time.

Those who loved Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in their time will especially love this. It's a musical biography that keeps the narrative spare and direct. The boys who became the group do not have easy backgrounds. Poverty, working class lives, some jail time and the dark convolutions of the Italian Mob all play a part.

The narrative is shared between the original four, a device that interestingly allows contrasting versions of events. It begins with Spring, with the brash Tommy DeVito (Dave Smith) describing how he had a lot to do with forming the original Four Seasons.

There are struggles to find the right name and struggles to find the right combination of singers but Tommy sweet talks his way through and Smith catches both the sweetness and the darker undercurrents of the man.

Then there's Summer, when brilliant young songwriter Bobby Gaudio (Jonathan Rush) gives them the songs that will lift them out of the small time, a very warm performance from Rush.

The Fall narrative is given to Nick Massi (Zach Johnson). He's the quiet one, the overlooked one, the bass that holds things together, but it's quite a moment when Johnson's Nick starts talking at length and saying what he really feels. Johnson nails this with dignity and a terse passion.

Winter falls to Frankie Valli (Jared Newall), the man with the fabulous falsetto. Newall has the voice but also the integrity. His farewell to his dead daughter (short but telling performance as Francine from Jessica Coote) powerfully gathers up all the lost relationships and broken marriages of the group.

The women in the story only have brief moments but there is strong work from Nicola Wetselaar as Mary Delgado and Kellee-Rose Hand as Frankie's wife Lorraine.

And if Shennia Spillanes' snappy Accountant had been listened to, Tommy might have avoided some of his money problems.

Bradley McDowell as astrology mad producer Bob Crewe does some smoothly funny work and a range of characters from dark Italian spivs to prostitutes to cops is given life by a large and hard working ensemble.

Ian Croker's highly functional set has staircases to be navigated in style and an upper level that comes into its own when a sizeable bunch of musical director Caleb Campbell's brass players take it over. Or when the Four are in silhouette.

The power of the show comes from those four contradictory narratives and the excellent singing of Smith, Rush, Johnson and Newall as they recreate the group, supported all the way by Campbell's strong musical direction.

Newall is particularly outstanding as Frankie Valli, especially toward the end where Valli becomes the emotional focus.

Jersey Boys has old-fashioned mikes, old-fashioned sequinned jackets and a long list of songs that aren't as old-fashioned as you might think. It's also a thoughtful look at the truths about "rags to riches".

Now I'm finding an unexpected nostalgia for "Working My Way Back to You". Canberra Philharmonic has done it proud.