It's difficult to know what to make of the Blues Brothers. The hype has a real danger of making the actual performance a disappointment, but The Official Tribute to the Blues Brothers manages to pull through.

From Elwood's love of Country and Western (and Jake's hatred of it: note the fact that he dies during a rendition of "Stand By Your Man") to the antics of a funked up, even rappy version of Rolf Harris' "Two Little Boys", you are guaranteed a good time.

The fun starts even before the show begins. Two stage technicians are seen dealing with some last minute technical hitches as the audience arrives. Someone has rearranged and removed the letters of "Blues Brothers" to read "Sober Hurts". This is promptly rearranged amid confusion over elasticated microphones, faulty safety curtains and lost audience members. Finally the police arrive on stage in pursuit of the two jokers and the show begins properly.

For the uninitiated, let me explain. The Official Tribute to the Blues Brothers is not a musical in the same way as West Side Story or Cats is a musical. This is more of a music concert in character. A tribute to a band that never really existed.

The Blues Brothers are Elwood (the thin one) and Jake (the less thin one). There are moments when Elwood seems less like a blues brother and more like Hugo Weaving's Smith character in The Matrix. Fortunately, however, he doesn't clone himself into thousands of identical copies and we are saved the trauma of over flashy visual effects. Instead, we are treated to Jake, the sloppier of the two brothers, dancing along lazily to the tunes and reminiscing about his first girlfriend: "She was called Mary Jo. She had breasts."

Highlights are many. Neal Wright, dressed to the nines in a white top hat and tails, sings a raucous version of "Minnie the Moocher" and David Danns, dressed as a gospel chorister sings a soulful version of "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher." .

But the greatest highlight is Jennifer Wallace. Her electrifying rendition of "Think" is, well, electrifying. She is a stunning singer, with a glorious range. It's just as if Aretha herself were singing in the Everyman Theatre.

Audience participation is something of a prerequisite here. And it's not just about clapping along. Most memorable (for the woman sat immediately behind me at the very least) is the moment when the Brothers pick on an audience member during a performance of "Flip Flop and Fly". She hasn't been singing along. And now she has to pay for it by doing the "Flip Flop and Fly" dance routine. Solo.

By the end of the evening, the entire audience is participating by way of dancing along to the grand finale: "Sweet Home Chicago", "Soul Man" and "Jailhouse Rock". Soon everyone is dancing (yes, that includes me). It's impossible not to. The night has proved popular with all ages. From hip teenagers to groovy grandmothers. It seems there is something here for everyone.

There are, of course, moments, where things are far from brilliant. Occasionally you get a feeling that the cast have performed these songs one time too many. There is even a moment during "Shotgun Blues" when the guitarist winces at his own solo. Performances do seem a little formulaic at times, but these times, fortunately, are few and far between.

On the whole, it is a fantastic night out. The singers can certainly sing, the musicians are talented and the dancing is both funny and brilliantly choreographed.

The final encore of "Everybody Needs Somebody" plays and my hands are worn out with clapping. And then the lights go out and it's time to go home. The audience picks up its coats and wander out, chatting enthusiastically about their favourite bits.

We had a good time.

08/09/03 - First published on www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire under this link