CAROLINE CULOT Norwich Theatre Royal

CAROLINE CULOT

Imagine getting to the pearly gates to be met by St Peter who is David Essex wearing a white Prince Charming outfit with leather boots, singing Every Breath You Take.

Following the success of Boogie Nights the original, about the music of the '70s, and

co-written by EastEnders' Shane Richie, this sequel has been penned by Jon Conway. Once again it follows the plight of the hapless Roddy and his bid to woo the love of his life, Debs.

However, the show is just a good excuse to revive everything we loved about '80s music.

But, of course, with the good of that decade also comes the bad - Margaret Thatcher, leg warmers, ra-ra skirts, the puffball - which are all in the show, too. The musical also has a more poignant message about the over-indulgence of those years - about drugs, particularly Ecstasy, and also Aids. What are we the audience supposed to make of it all? Not much, I expect, because it's basically a bit of fun aimed at the 30-somethings for whom the music brings back a variety of memories. Mr Essex made a fantastic entrance, former EastEnders' star Sophie Lawrence as Debs has improved immensely vocally, and Mark Jones as Roddy kept the show going in weaker moments with his ad libs. Caroline Culot