Review: One Night Of Queen, Edinburgh Playhouse

IF IMITATION is truly the sincerest form of flattery, then the surviving members of seminal group Queen should feel flattered indeed. Last night's performance proved to be an extravagant homage to the band's legacy.

While there have been plenty of tribute acts throughout the years who have endeavoured to recreate the sound and appearance of their icons, few have gone to the extraordinary lengths of Gary Mullet and his band The Works.

In fact, Mullet, best known as winner of the 2000 TV show Stars in Their Eyes, has perfected the persona of Queen's flamboyant frontman Freddie Mercury down to an art form.

From the opening notes of One Vision, Mullet marched across the stage while striking many an iconic pose, fist pumping and patting his bottom.

His voice was equally faultless, emulating Mercury's distinct operatic style with no noticeable strain. No mean feat given the vocal gymnastics needed to sing following numbers Somebody to Love and A Kind of Magic.

On the ostentatious Barcelona – one of the show's many highlights – Mullet was joined by Opera sensation Ruth Kerr for a duet. As the song reached its crescendo, the crowd broke out into a rapturous round of applause.

To say Mullet's performance was pervasive would be an understatement. With no more than a meager taunt, he had the audience dancing in the aisles to Killer Queen and clapping loudly to Radio Gaga. He continued to joke around in-between numbers, picking on onlookers and playing up his campish facade.

Supporting Mullet's impeccable performance were his talented band, The Works. Both Dave Brockett, with his elaborate solos, and Jonathan Evans, with his power-house drumming, helped to keep the crowd enchanted on You Yourself Alive and Another One Bites the Dust retrospectively.

The show ended on the anthemic We will Rock You. Gary and The Works were not merely pretenders to the throne, but great showmen worthy of such an accolade.