Bringing the “smooth sultry world of jazz,” to an unusually subdued lateshow audience, Scatpack promised an evening of sophisticated entertainment far removed from the usual smut that issues from these post-watershed theatre slots.

An on-stage parade of dinner jackets and cocktail dresses confirmed all expectations, the singers sauntering from the wings to a scat accompaniment, bow ties louchely undone to exude a sense of afterparty cool. But where was the party, and, more importantly, why wasn’t I invited? Lacking Tom Davenport’s good looks and rakish charm, my exclusion was understandable, though I did feel sorry for the rest of the audience, none of whom seemed to be in on it either.

The group chose their tunes well and sang them even better, entertaining with their voices and innovative harmonisations. It’s just that they didn’t make the most of the badinage and, dare I say it, “banter”, that the form invites. It took a while for us to be introduced to the singers, whilst one of the numbers kicked off with a bizarre and slightly chilling reference to demonic possession. Another began with a cryptic paean to Woolworths. It was funny, almost charming, but it fell short of the mark when held up to the evening as a whole.

The show ran smoothly, however, and once the ice had been broken I found myself warming to the characters behind the voices. These were teased out as smooth, mannered smiles gave way to what seemed to be genuine enjoyment, the performers gaining confidence with every ba-do-ba. A rendition of the Beatles’ Blackbird stands out alongside more traditional numbers, whilst a split-choir harmony provided one of the most polite on-stage battles I’ve ever seen.

Stylishly delivering old favourites, this new ensemble was, indeed, smooth. The lighting was sultry and the music indisputably jazzy, though there was still something missing. Rat Pack this wasn’t, and one can’t help thinking that for all the charm present onstage, the ADC was just too formal a venue, hampering the group’s attempt to build the repartee that would have brought a welcome suavity to an otherwise successful performance.