EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 2009 - REVIEW: THE GREAT BRITISH SOAP OPERA, George Square 2, August 12

"Victoria Square" - the soap within a show in Take Note Theatre's new musical, The Great British Soap Opera - is in trouble. Ratings are falling and rumours of the show being cut by the network are in the air. Then the producers bring in a new sexy female cast  member to try and save the show - with hilarious results. What follows is a hugely entertaining musical comedy expose of the behind-the-scenes lives of the central characters in the fictional soap.

Following on from their 2008 Fringe hit show, Jet Set Go!, Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary have succeeded in creating yet another huge crowd pleaser. Brunger's book is full of genuine quick-fire wit and biting satire that complements a finely crafted storyline delivered by a set of well defined characters - while the lyrics (by Brunger and Pippa Cleary) flow seamlessly through the dialogue, setting the same slick and sophisticated tone. And Pippa Cleary's music fits each moment perfectly, whether it be a catchy up-tempo number or a powerful ballad. Each song in the score, in its own totally apposite way, is a knock-out number.

And the songs and script spring vividly to life through a collection of top-notch performances from the small ensemble cast: Diana Chrisman is  deliciously sexy as the snobbish new soap starlet Sophie; Philippa Buxton displays great comic timing and subtlety of emotion as Victoria Square veteran Jenny; Sophia Behn is fresh and appealing as make-up artist, Emily and she - together with Adam Barlow (who is excellent as the soap's teenage lead, Chip) bring the house down with the show's best comic number; Leon Kay is brilliant as the on-screen over-acting and off-screen womanising actor, Josh; and Adam Pritchard is totally endearing as the outwardly straight but clearly gay and lovable Alfie.

Every line of writing and each individual performance oozes with class and the vocals soar throughout. Add to this Luke Sheppard's mastery of pace as a director and his ability to choreograph each musical number in a way that thrills the eyes as much as the music thrills the ears - and the result is a bona fide five-star musical production  and one of the best shows on offer at the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe.