There was a certain opening night pressure at this show.

Its star, Kara Lily Hayworth, had said it received standing ovations everywhere it had played.

So how would the often fickle Carlisle crowd react?

With two standing ovations.

This is a great, glossy, goosebump-pumping production that had people up and dancing before the big finale.

It's a nostalgic jukebox show, so as well as all Cilla Black's hits, you also get a lorra Beatles songs (they both shared Brian Epstein's management) as well as tunes from Gerry and The Pacemakers, The Mamas and The Papas and others.

The script is sharp and earns plenty of laughs.

But away from the hits and the warm tribute to Cilla herself, it's a feel-good rom-com of how Cilla White met Bobby Willis, fell out with him, then realised he was her world.

Hayworth is the star. She's hardly ever off stage (apart from switching 24 costumes) and carries the show but she gets fantastic support from the cast - especially Alexander Patmore as the big-hearted and besotted Bobby and Andrew Lancel as the fragile Epstein.

She has that unmistakable hard edge to Cilla's voice, but her performance isn't just a 'Stars in their Eyes' impersonation.

She moves like Cilla. And she provides emotional depth to the character, shifting from shy wannabe popstar to the steely determination of a career builder to the emotional reunion with her beloved Bobby with ease and total conviction.

I'm in no way a Cilla fan, though I can appreciate the craft of some of her songs and the verve of Haywood in putting them over.

There are moments when your hairs (or as Cilla would say: 'yurr urrs') stand on end.

The other major reason for the show's success is the music which is brilliantly arranged and performed onstage and off. Musical director Scott Alder took a deserved final curtain bow.

There were some small opening night glitches on the sound but they didn't detract from the overall quality and the genuine buzz that the audience had after its extended ovation.

You have until Saturday to catch this show. The lucky ones will already have tickets.

It's a shame Cilla died before she could see the show. She would have loved it and she would have been proud to have seen the standing ovation at the end.