The Band, Theatre Royal Haymarket

After a great band comes the spin off jukebox musical. But chart-topping records don't always equate to stage success. For every blockbuster Mama Mia or Sunny Afternoon, there is an altogether more disappointing Viva Forever.

But those nostalgic for some 1990s pop music will be pleased to learn that Take That succeeded where The Spice Girls faltered - with a new musical that showcases the hits and stands up as an enjoyable show in its own right.

After a sell-out tour around the UK, The Band comes to London for a limited 50-performance run. Reviews ranged from enthusing about 'a warmly articulated, exciting and funny celebration of what it is to be a music fan' to criticizing it as a 'soppy affair'.

Fresh from a stage musical based on The Calendar Girls, dramatist and songwriter Tim Firth knows a thing or two about feel-good theatre. He weaves hit songs including Never Forget, A Million Love Songs, Shine and many more into a new story celebrating the power of pop music.

Rather than telling the real story of Take That's chart-topping rise and tumultuous in-fighting, The Band hones in on the notion of fandom. It follows five women, united by their obsession with a boyband. In 1992, age 16, their lives are fundamentally changed by a pop concert. 25 years later, a reunion tour brings the women together again.

If Take That tunes are too cheesy for your taste then this is not the show to convert you. But super fans and guilty pleasure listeners alike will find plenty to enjoy as The Band cranks up the cheer just in time for Christmas.