Jolson and Co, The Musical, Newcastle Theatre Royal, until Saturday

The musical tells the story of this icon of stage and screen, from his Lithuanian beginnings, through his Broadway and Hollywood adventures, to his final years of stardom after World War Two.

Jolson's unforgettable songs transport the audience to a bygone era of New York jazz and vintage Hollywood glamour.

Alan Stewart is captivating as Jolson.

He tells the compelling tale with feeling, then sings and dances with all the humour and panache of the man himself.

He is supported by Donna Steele and Christopher Howell who share the rest of the characters between them.

Both are brilliant, continually switching characters with the same speed that Jolson breaks into song.

In her cameo as Mae West, Steele has the audience, and Jolson, eating out her hands within seconds.

The gleaming live band on stage gives the simple but effective set all the glitz it requires.
For the most part the audience is so consumed by the larger than life personalities and performances presented by this musical that an over decorative set would be redundant.

Director Ed Curtis's production shows the Jolson lighting up with every song, however melancholy its introduction within his story.

This is an effective depiction of a life which seemed so successful and glamorous to its audiences but held much sadness behind the scenes.

His songs were written for stage entertainment, complete with the dancing and the joking, they are as wonderfully engaging now as ever.

The theatre emptied to a chorus of singing, but this time it was from the departing audience, everyone still humming their favourite Jolson track.