Sir George Martin - an Evening of Beatles Classics

No one could deny the influence Sir George Martin had on The Beatles, and by extension popular music. Regularly and justifiably referred to as the Fifth Beatle, his compositional and arranging skills enhanced a template of popular culture, and we would be culturally poorer if he had not been present to place the meat around the bones of many Lennon and McCartney songs.

The concert on Sunday was therefore an intriguing prospect for anyone with half an interest in pop music. For anyone who loved the music of The Beatles it was bound to be an experiment, albeit one that worked in direct relation to who was involved in its execution. The good news is that it wasn't an unmitigated disaster. The bad news was that it occasionally sounded and looked like like cabaret with knobs on.

The faults lay not with the arranging or the 70-piece orchestra. Indeed, some of the evening's best moments were provided by Martin's sure, suave and sophisticated touch, notably And I Love Her (smartly envisioned as a potential Bond theme) and a selection from Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. The main problems were to be found in the choice of well known Irish singers: Brian Kennedy, Sean Keane, Eimear Quinn, Jimmy MacCarthy, Leslie Dowdall and Liam O Maonlai. Thankfully, all egos were deposited at the stage door. Sadly, it seems, so were the autocue and dress rehearsal, which could be the reason why Sean Keane and Jimmy MacCarthy made what amounted to more than embarrassing mistakes during Hey Jude and All You Need Is Love.

The other singers gave of themselves willingly (who wouldn't, given half the chance?) but there wasn't one vocal performance here that proved genuinely inspirational.

But then, perhaps that wasn't the point. A pleasant, easy evening of sing-along classic pop songs? Definitely - but it could have been so much more.

Runs until Tuesday, 8 p.m. Box office (01) 4751572.