What a ridiculous waste of a great idea. What a criminal waste of a good band. Set in a smoky nightclub in a US city that is just emerging from the Depression, this musical tells much of its story through well-performed and enjoyable songs. They not only move the plot along but allow us a glimpse of the characters' inner lives.
So why is the rest of the enterprise so lame? The storyline - absurdly naive young man sinks his inheritance into nightclub only to find himself at the mercy of corrupt cops and in thrall to a slinky siren - is one long cliche. Most of the characters are woefully under-developed and the acting, although not the singing, is so wooden that it makes wardrobes look animated.
The show works very well in this particular setting with a bar open throughout, and it would seem to be cleverly aimed at those too old and knackered to enjoy the frolics of the Karaoke Show. But the potential is thrown away by a lack of attention to the script, which is spoken by the cast as if they are delivering very bad news.
· Until Monday. Box office: 0131-556 6550.
