JERRY Springer - The Opera arrived in the north west greeted by scores of protesters brandishing placards screaming 'spite is not right'.

And as the curtains came up the audience superseded one man's cries of 'this is a disgrace to our lord' with trailer trash chants of 'Jerry, Jerry, Jerry'.

After the spoilsport was removed we got a chance to see what all the fuss was about. Jerry Springer - The Opera has caused as much controversy as it's received critical acclaim.

Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee are the writers behind bringing the low brow and the high brow together in a terrific cultural collision.

On stage, Springer's guests sing about their woes with the same aggression and filthy language you come to love from the TV show. This first act is shocking and exhilarating and hilarious. The high point being the song Talk to the Hand belted out by a love cheat transsexual.

It ends with Jerry, played by Rolf Saxon, getting shot by a nappy-wearing fetishist who's aiming for the Klu Klux Klan.

Then, as Jerry spirals into hell, so the second act spirals out of control.

As Jerry is forced to present his most testing show yet, a reconciliation bid between Jesus and Satan, you feel the show's lost its way. More of the first act would have been far more entertaining.

This modern-day opera is fabulously trashy and sure to reach cult status after its first UK national tour.

Emma Stewart

l Jerry Springer - The Opera is at the Liverpool Empire until Saturday.

Call Ticketmaster on 0870 607575 for tickets.