A funny thing happens during Aljaž Škorjanec and Janette Manrara's dance tribute to the music of the movies.

Before last night's show begins, the announcer - with appropriately gravelly American 'film voice' - tells the audience it's fine to take pictures as long as the flash isn't used and it doesn't disturb anyone else.

I see only one mobile phone used during the entire two-and-a-half hour show, Remembering the Oscars, practically unheard of by today's standards in live entertainment. 

A woman holds her's up discreetly, keen to snatch a small reminder of the sublime Argentinian tango perfectly exectuted by Strictly real-life couple. It is performed to "Por Una Cabeza", from the memorable tango scene in Al Pacino's Scent of a Woman.

The audience at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall has waited a long time to see Škorjanec and Manrara's second breakaway live show.

Glasgow Times:

Originally scheduled for Spring 2020, the tour was twice postponed due to the pandemic.

Plenty of time to bubble up and perfect the dizzying number of dance sequences in this utterly joyful tribute to the music of films that takes the audience from the 2018 Rami Malek Queen tribute, Bohemium Rhapsody, to the Lullaby of Broadway Hollywood Golden Age via The Godfather, Black Swan, Mary Poppins Cabaret and La La Land.

It's unlikely Strictly's most genial pros needed the extra practice Covid would have allowed, both have claimed the prized glitterball Strictly trophy. 

It must be daunting leaving the security of one of the BBC's biggest ratings winners but judging by tonight’s show they have nothing to fear. 

Glasgow Times:

Tall for a dancer, Škorjanec looks like he’s barely breaking any sweat, whether he's dancing alone or proudly showing off his wife's incredible footwork and agility.

Manrara's praises the young dance troupe who perform umpteen incredible sequences from Guys and Dolls' Luck be a Lady to Slumdog Millionaire's Jai po.

“Oh to be young,” she says but is more than a match for their exuberance. We are lucky enough to be seated fairly close to the stage and I cannot take my eyes off her.

The dance sequences are interspersed with the couple chatting about their favourite films and paying homage to the "under-appreciated' choreographers of the Oscar-winning musicals including Bob Fosse and Gene Kelly.

It's a full on task but they handle it with aplomb, Škorjanec goofs around delighting the largely female audience.

A follow-up to the couple's previous, sell-out show Remembering the Movies, it's impossible to pick out a highlight, there are so many. You Must Love Me from Madonna's Evita is the soundtrack for a heart-rending waltz between Škorjanec and another statuesque partner.

There is silence when the tour's impressive live singer performs As Long as he Needs Me from Oliver before the show ends on a high note with an uplifting disco montage.

The perfect antidote to troubling times.

Remembering The Oscars is touring UK venues until May 7.

For  ticket information go to www.rememberingtheoscars.com