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★★★★★ This show sweeps you up before you’ve even found your seat. All Aboard the Jazz Express is a high‑spirited, mischievous cabaret that transforms Theatre 1, fheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, into the dining car of Europe’s most glamorous train, rattling from Paris to Istanbul with a suitcase full of swing, secrets and delightful nonsense.
The Hot Jazz Vagabonds are the engine of the piece, and what an engine they are. Pete Watson’s accordion curls around the room like cigarette smoke; Alan Gibson’s double bass keeps everything steady with unflappable charm; David Ahmed and Andy Ruiz Palma trade guitar lines with the shimmering ease of musicians who know exactly how to make a room feel alive. Their sound — a blend of hot 1930s swing, smoky chanson and gypsy jazz — is rich, warm and utterly irresistible. It’s no surprise they’ve graced stages from Glastonbury to Ronnie Scott’s; they play with the confidence of a band that has seen every kind of audience and knows how to win them all.
Into this musical whirlwind steps Airlie Scott, elegant, playful and gloriously unpredictable. As Vivienne Valise, she welcomes us aboard with a conspiratorial smile and the revelation that she is, in fact, a spy en route to Istanbul. She suspects one of the musicians is a spy too — and from that moment on, the show becomes a deliciously tongue‑in‑cheek mystery, full of coded glances, sudden revelations and the kind of theatrical chaos that makes audiences beam.
At each stop along the legendary route, the tone shifts just enough to keep things lively. In Belgrade, she slips a message to a spy hidden in the audience. In Vienna, documents are exchanged with suspicious flourish. In Sofia, she bursts into “Joseph Joseph” with infectious energy. And in Milan, her rendition of Tu Vuo’ Fa’ l’Americano is a cheeky delight, capturing the post‑war swagger of Italians playing at being American. She moves with ease from English to French to Italian, each song delivered with a storyteller’s instinct and a cabaret singer’s flair.
One of the loveliest moments sees her seated at a small table, singing in French with a softness that hushes the room. Another has her clicking her fingers to the gypsy jazz beat, weaving through the space with a dancer’s lightness. She is a performer who understands atmosphere — how to build it, how to break it, and how to let the band breathe inside it.
The murder mystery element is handled with a wink rather than a weight. A sudden “shot” rings out; Airlie ducks; the audience follows suit, half‑laughing, half‑startled. Two agents appear on the platform. Papers are shuffled. Suspicions rise. And by the time the train reaches Istanbul, the final twist — involving Alan’s double‑bass‑playing fugitive — lands with just the right mix of absurdity and theatrical satisfaction.
Musically, the show is a joy. The Vagabonds play with precision and personality, never missing a beat, never losing the thread of the story woven around them. The journey from Paris to Istanbul becomes not just a route but a rhythm — each city a new flavour, each song a new clue, each moment another reason to smile.
Theatre‑wise, it’s brisk, charming and beautifully pitched. The audience is drawn in without ever being pushed; the humour is light but clever; the atmosphere is rich without being heavy. It’s the kind of Fringe show that leaves you feeling brighter than when you walked in — a little dazzled, a little amused, and very much entertained.
Reviewed by Jacqueline Sharp
