Final visit for Jake, Elwood – and Huggy

The Blues Brothers @ Theatre Royal, Norwich

By John Lawson

If this truly is going to be the Blues Brothers' final tour, as director David Leland has asserted it will be, then it is assured of going out on the high of highs.

The show knows the reception it's going to receive in East Anglia – and the production team names the Theatre Royal, along with Manchester and Belfast, as the three venues key to the whole 14-week tour.

And on its sixth visit to the theatre since 1992, the show is sold out for its entire run.

Everyone there is ready to party all the way to the very best in classic blues and soul – with every member of the six-strong cast and six-strong band a master of their art.

As Jake and Elwood, Brad Henshaw and Simon Foster are surely the ultimate tribute duo to the legendary John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd with the bonus that they actually can sing better than either of them.

Their backing trio of Mike Henry, Alana Maria and Joe Speare all have their moments to bring the house down in their own right.

And on a night packed with 70s icons, who better to guest star than Huggy Bear – Antonio Fargas, himself a huge Blues Brothers fan.

The highlight for me on a night of highlights? Simon Foster's beautiful ballad version of the classic Under the Boardwalk.