Review: Let It Be,

ALTHOUGH Paul McCartney is still touring and Ringo's All Starr band hit the road every so often, for most, the prospect of seeing a genuine Beatle performing Beatle songs is fairly remote. * * * *Playhouse, Greenside Place

In which case, Let it Be at The Playhouse this week, could well provide an appealing alternative.

Billed as a celebration of the music of The Beatles, Let it Be does not pretend to be a musical. It is a tribute-style show in the format of a fantasy Beatles concert, covering the whole life of the band.

Aside from some on stage chit-chat and the encouragement of audience participation, there is no narrative driving the story, simply 40 of the Fab Fours hits performed live by a group of excellent sound-a-likes who chronologically chart the bands incredible success.

Archive TV footage from the 60s and 70s lead us through each musical era and a simple set centred around Ringo’s iconic drum kit is enhanced by Humphrey McDermot’s clever lighting and imagery to create the feel of each venue, including Shea Stadium complete with scream track.

A sizeable chunk of The Beatles back-catalogue is covered throughout the evening and provides the enthusiastic crowd with more than enough to please everyone.

The strength of this touring production is in the quality of the musicians on show and the detail of its presentation.

From mop tops and suits to Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, it’s all there and is a triumph for the wardrobe department.

Paul Canning (John), Ian B Garcia (Paul), John Brosnan (George), and Luke Roberts (Ringo), combine with keyboard player Michael Bramwell to expertly deliver a seamless and authentic Beatles sound.

Run ends Saturday