HALFWAY through a UK and Ireland tour, this is a brand new musical featuring the popular songs of Dusty Springfield, named after her hugely successful 1968 hit record.

I’ve always loved the music of Dusty Springfield – in fact when Karen and I were married in 2010, we walked down the aisle to the sound of Springfield’s wonderful 1963 hit song I Only Want To Be With You.

Featuring a terrific live orchestra, all of Dusty’s great songs are covered in this interesting show – the chirpy Wishin’ and Hopin’, the longing loneliness of I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself, and Springfield’s subtle masterpiece You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, (Just Be Close At Hand).

Set in a fictional 1960s Soho club “The Preacher Man”, costumes and hairstyles are authentically convincing, the stage sets imaginatively atmospheric.

The updated setting, designed to show contemporary issues like online dating, gay relationships, and personal break-ups, is an attempt to modernise the story.

Unfortunately, the script is awkward and clunky, the storytelling flimsy, repetitive and unconvincing.

Given that the show’s director is Craig Revel Horwood, judge on BBC TV’s popular weekly Strictly Come Dancing, direction is weak, and choreography unimaginative, lacking any real drama, and “desperately disappointing dahling!”.

The story of the brilliant pop singer and charismatic performer Dusty Springfield is still waiting to be immortalised.

Son of a Preacher Man runs until Saturday.

Brendan McCusker