Duncan Heather chats to Steve Pratt about his musical theatre adventures which have brought him to the New Jersey Nights tour

THE first question is a difficult one for Duncan Heather. It’s always that question that stumps us, he says.

But just how do you describe New Jersey Nights, which presents the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons?

“We are not Jersey Boys,” he says, in case you confuse his show with the hit musical – also about Frankie and the Four Seasons – playing in London’s West End.

“We are a tribute revue honouring the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. We feature 30 of their songs and tell the audience about them, but our personalities come through.”

While Jersey Boys follows the Buddy template of telling the story of the singers in a biopic sort of way, New Jersey Nights celebrates the music without any of the four performers getting into character and playing the real life Frankie and Co. They share out the songs, not staying in character as one particular person.

Heather, who has performed all over the world in musical theatre, appeared in the show in the US, at the end of last year, when it was called plain Jersey Nights. That 75-minute show was performed in the big casinos in Las Vegas and then played in a venue at Niagara Falls.

The show has been expanded and restaged for the current tour, which takes in York and Newcastle in coming months. It’s now two acts with four singers, six dancers and a live band.

Plus, of course, hits including Sherry, Rag Dolls, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Walk Like A Man.

Unlike most tribute shows, this one is doing longer runs of four and five nights in most places.

For Heather, the arrival of Jersey Boys opened everyone’s eyes to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. “When we speak to people aged nine to 90 at the stage door and they say they didn’t realise how many of the songs they knew,” says Heather.

“A lot of the songs have been covered by other bands. Like most people, I was aware of some of the songs before Jersey Boys opened, but not all. I’ve done a few songs like Sherry in my solo shows.”

He’s worked as a soloist, creating his own productions and theatre shows, as well as being part of larger casts in shows staged in international arenas and UK theatres. He’s performed in the rock’n’roll musical Twist And Shout in Atlantic City and been one of The 12 Tenors on an international tour. Most recently, he’s appeared in the UK and European tour of Bohemian Rhapsody.

One of his greatest achievements came in 2009 – performing at the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo for an audience that included the Prince of Monaco and Shirley Bassey.

It was another musical, Miss Saigon, that sparked his love of musical theatre, but he grew to know that “if you’re going to be in musical theatre, Salisbury is not the place to be”.

So he left his home town to perform all over the world.

“I’ve been quite fortunate in a way. It’s strange because when people talk about career and they always say West End. But it’s not be all and end all. I’ve been doing this professionally for 30 years and been lucky enough not to stop working. I’ve seen the world, from cruise ships to theatres.”

Tour dates: York Grand Opera House, May 2-4. Box Office 0844-8713024 and atgtickets.com/york Newcastle Theatre Royal, Sept 3-7. 08448- 112121 and theatreroyal.co.uk