Members of that pressure group known as Why Does Stephen Fry Have To Be Everywhere? may be distressed to learn that there is no escaping him here either. Although he doesn’t show his face, that is indeed his ripe voice portraying St Peter at the Pearly Gates in the writer-director Julian Woolford’s mischievous tribute to the entertainer who raised the art of camp to absurd new heights.

A disembodied Victoria Wood gets to play God, and a very nice job she makes of it too, turning the afterlife into a cosy suburb of Lancashire. No wonder America’s greatest showman (who died of Aids more than 20 years ago) seems bemused. Forced to defend his reputation — and his habit of concealing his true sexuality — before the Almighty, he throws himself on the mercy of the audience to vote on his ultimate destination — Heaven or Hell.

Deep down he must know that he is never going to be consigned to the flames. Bobby Crush’s impersonation is so full-blooded and affectionate that you are quite willing to overlook the fact that the music and the patter are tooth-rottingly schmaltzy. Flirting all the way, he asks fans to help him with oddly superfluous costume changes and brings the Vegas medleys up to date by throwing in a few bars of Michael Jackson et al.

Woolford’s script rattles through the bare bones of the story, inevitably focusing on the notorious 1950s libel trial prompted by a hostile article by the Daily Mirror columnist Cassandra. In retrospect, it seems absurd that the star was ever able to fudge the question of his homosexuality. But somehow he did, and his audience — who were much more conventional than the people crowding into this venue — was content to go along with him.

A slightly preachy tone enters proceedings before the jury has its say. Surely we have long passed the point where gay entertainers have to canvass our sympathy? You ‘d think so, but the Stephen Gately furore suggests otherwise.

Box office: 0844 8472475, to Nov 8

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