You don’t need to be a Billy Joel fan to enjoy this charming performance by seasoned cabaret performer Matthew Hadgraft. But if you are, this might be the next best thing to seeing The Entertainer in the flesh.

Billy Joel: Just the Way You Are is a must-see, fun celebration of one of pop’s great songbooks, rich with nostalgia and perfect for a singalong. If you love a great song, this show’s the ticket.

Returning to FRINGE WORLD and the ACES stage under The Maj with a piano, Hadgraft arrived with a piano, effortless charm, and just enough audience props, dedicating the show to the songwriting mastery of Billy Joel. Nerves were nowhere to be seen, even with a couple of opening night bumps. He launched straight in with a punchy rendition of 'You May Be Right' before leaning into the swagger of 'It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me'.

Hadgraft focused on the big hits, threading them together with anecdotes and stories from Joel’s life, particularly his love life, which landed well with the crowd and gave the set a conversational, lived-in feel. Crowd favourites like 'She’s Always A Woman to Me' and 'Uptown Girl' sat comfortably alongside heavy hitters 'The Stranger' and 'We Didn’t Start the Fire'. A talented pianist, Hadgraft was at his strongest in the quieter moments when it was just him and the keys.

Hadgraft playfully encouraged sing-alongs, unlocking half-remembered words and shared memories. By the time 'Piano Man' rolled around and the crowd sang, “they sit at the bar, and put bread in my jar, and say ‘Man! What are you doing here?’”, the line felt just as true of Hadgraft himself.