I WAS delighted to receive an unexpected invitation to go and see the wonderful Alfie Boe in the hallowed surroundings of Edinburgh’s Usher Hall. Having seen him years as part of the Last Night of The Scottish Proms in Dundee’s Caird Hall, I knew I was in for a real treat, writes Times Theatre critic Kerry Black.

Boe is renowned for his musical theatre performances, especially in Les Mis and going by that and the fact that the tour is promoting his new album “As Time Goes By”, I was expecting a night filled with songs from classic musicals and the great American songbook.

I was in for a big surprise! The show covered almost every style of music, with Boe himself bouncing about the stage playing drums, guitar and tambourine as well as singing his heart out!

The show opened at 7.30pm with a fab support act in the shape of Hattie Briggs and her band. Alfie actually spied her busking in Paddington Station and invited her to join him on tour! At 8.15pm, Alfie appeared on stage with his ten-piece band, opening with the Cab Calloway classic “Sing! Sing! Sing!”.

You could imagine his brilliant band strutting through the hot streets of New Orleans. Many of the numbers transported you back to the bluesy days of prohibition, sipping a bathtub gin in a smoky bar as Alfie Boe serenaded you! From La Vie En Rose to My Funny Valentine, romance was in the air, then he swung us down a banjo-pickin’ country and western lane, before taking us into the 1960’s with classics such as Stand By Me and Gimme Some Lovin’!

Of course, no Alfie Boe show would be complete without his beautiful rendition of Bring Him Home, performed with minimal backing to allow his wonderful voice to fill the Usher Hall to the very roof!

Boe is a very warm and immensely likeable character, describing how his decision to wear Harris Tweed had left him feeling like a damp sheep, caused several ladies to offer their own unique method of cooling him down!

He truly loves Edinburgh and this was apparent in the banter he had with the crowds as he encouraged everyone to sing and dance along with him. Boe rounded off the night at 10.15pm with Minnie the Moocher and As Time Goes By. Boe-tiful