America's subculture of Christian pop music gave rise to this off-Broadway hit show that revolves around a five-piece boy band presenting the final concert of its Raise the Praise tour. Place names and topical references have been changed to impart an Australian flavour, but that doesn't quite jell when one of the quintet is named Juan and we are left wondering about the Mexican connection.

No matter. A meaningful plot is of little consequence in what is an affectionate parody of a pop group rather than a conventional music theatre piece.

It is aimed squarely at the young audience, and even God is heard to remark (in reverberating voice-over) that "the older demographic is detestable in my eyes". So the Boyz proceed to "praise the Lord with funk and rhyme".

Matthew, Mark, Luke and Juan, plus Abraham (Jewish, but he can write lyrics), more or less espouse Christian principles, but curiously the show seems to want it both ways: some parts appear sincere but others tend towards the disrespectful, with Catholic imagery such as the crucifix, rosary beads, a chalice, communion wafers and the sign of the Cross bandied around willy-nilly. The songs by Garry Adler and Michael Patrick Walker are the strength of the piece. Smart and sharp, they are calculated to whip up audience enthusiasm and are pleasingly varied, ranging from ballads to rock, rap, gospel, disco and Latin rhythms.

The linking material is the problem. You would like something with a bit more wit and durability than an electronic Soul Sensor that detects how many souls in the theatre are "burned with sin". As the Boyz sing their soul-saving songs, the number on the electronic read-out diminishes, the aim being to reclaim all souls by concert's end.

But it's a compact, slick, high-energy show, tightly directed by Kate Gaul, and the five personable boys, Dion Bilios, Jeremy Brennan, Andrew Koblar, Cameron MacDonald and Tim Maddren, attack their roles with gusto.

As a group, their voices are well-matched and produce some nice harmonies, and they handle the frenetic dance moves of choreographer Antony Ginandjarwith equal aplomb.

Robert Gavin's four-man band gives splendid, high-wattage support.