THE Beatles have finally come home - if only for six weeks. And it's something of a coup for the Court.

After a long and popular run in the West End, the producers of Let It Be decided to take it on a whistle-stop tour early next year - but not before an extended run in Liverpool.

Theirs and the Royal Court’s faith in the band’s enduring drawing power appears to be paying off Let It Be is playing to packed houses most nights and especially at the weekends.

Theatre spokesman Iain Christie has even dared pronounce a sacrilege: that attendances may top those of Dave Kirby and Nicky Allt's perennial favourite, Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels, by the time the mop tops say farewell on November 14.

As the company has a rotating cast of not four but eight Beatles, taking the stage for press night were Manny Angeletti (Paul), Paul Canning (John), Paul Mannion (George) and Luke Roberts (Ringo). 

The only mainstay is keyboard player Michael Bramwell, er, as himself. 

Now, press nights can be notoriously edgy affairs for the performers, especially when they're playing before a discerning local audience, many of whom will have seen more than their fair share of Beatles tribute bands, both good and duff.

So there seemed to be some sizing up going on from both sides as the band burst into opener I Saw Her Standing There on a suitably dank Cavernesque set. 


But after Please Please Me, She Loves You, and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, which came in quick procession, the atmosphere warmed up.

By Yesterday, when Macca/Angeletti had encouraged the audience to sing along, only to be duly swamped by the response, he and the band knew they had them eating out of their palms.

Indeed, as the show goes on, you realise how incredibly slick it is. 

Forty songs in two hours makes for rapid-fire stuff with judicious and seamless editing of classics such as A Day In The Life to fit them all in.

When supplemented by spontaneous banter, especially from Lennon/Canning - and the stage-side screens keeping the timeline of the Fabs' career through vintage news and TV adverts from the 60s - the feeling is like that of being sucked into a wonderfully warm cocoon of nostalgia.

Granted, Angeletti is the only one who bears a physical resemblance to a Beatle.

The musicianship, however, is beyond reproach - Liverpool’s very own Mannion getting one of the biggest roars of the night for his solo on Harrison's While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

And in the end even the most cynical of hacks in the stalls were on their feet, clapping or na-na-na-naring along to Hey Jude and the lads looked blown away as they finally took their bows.

Let it Be is a loving, loveable, triumph with not an ounce of fat on it - just pure joyous Beat Meat.

9/10