Verdict: Five stars.
When a TV show as treasured as Two Doors Down transitions from the small screen to the live stage, there's always an apprehension that it won't quite be the same.
Will the comic timing work? Will the actors be tempted to break the fourth wall? Can TV writing translate to a live arena audience?
They were all questions I had, but they disappeared within minutes of the curtain going up at the OVO Hydro on Saturday night.
The audience is instantly transported to Latimer Crescent, with Eric (Alex Norton) and Beth (Arabella Weir) taking centre stage in their home. The new story revolves around their son Ian (Jamie Quinn) revealing some big news to his parents and neighbours. However, he is not the only one with life-changing news, as Eric and Beth have something they want to tell Cathy (Doon Mackichan), Colin (Jonathan Watson), Christine (Elaine C Smith), Alan (Graeme Stevely) and Michelle (Joy McAvoy), turning their world upside down.
This new plot is laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish. It was magnificent to watch the talented cast master the art of comic timing while performing in front of a live audience. Gregor Sharp has ensured the late Simon Carlyle's legacy lives on with a script that is witty, current and packed with punchlines.
Sharp beautifully weaves fan-favourite moments from the television series into the live show, providing extra laughs for devoted followers. Christine's iconic "I'll tell you who does a nice paracetamol... Morrisons" line is just one example. References to the Hydro setting also deserve applause, as do nods to Taggart and Rab C. Nesbitt, shows that Alex Norton and Elaine C Smith know better than most.
I could not love a group of characters more than I love the cast of Two Doors Down. Cathy is as outrageous as ever, and Doon Mackichan is a joy to watch as she continues to shock the audience with her antics throughout the show. Her long-suffering husband Colin, played by Jonathan Watson, only has to pull a face without saying a word and I'm in stitches.
Alan, played by Graeme Stevely, doesn't say much, but when he does, it has impact. And who doesn't love Christine? We all know a Christine, and Elaine C Smith captures our hearts with every side of the wonderfully complex character.
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If you're a fan of the show, this is a must-see. The cast is exceptionally talented and instantly transported me back into a world I find immensely comforting. I can rewatch Two Doors Down, knowing every punchline is coming, and still find myself laughing. My only hope is that the writing continues and these characters keep giving us even more reasons to laugh for years to come.
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