Marc Almond’s collaborative album with John Harle, The Tyburn Tree, is a prog-rock operatic concept with the dark side of Victorian London as its theme.

But how would these dark tales translate to the stage? If Wednesday night’s concert was anything to go by, the pair might have been better off not sharing.

Composer and saxophonist John Harle’s opening set went down well considering most people were there to see their favourite half of 1980s synth duo Soft Cell. Soprano Sarah Leonard’s haunting vocals raised hairs on the back of the neck in an atmospheric set with touches of jazz among the rich neo-classical score.

Gliding onstage in a black cassock after the interval, Almond mounted the steps to a lecturn centre stage, his rich voice raising hopes of a set of dramatic torch songs. Sadly it wasn’t to be. Despite some soaring vocals, Almond’s hammed-up over-theatricality jarred, while Leonard’s previously beautiful vocals veered ever closer to the soundtrack of a B-movie horror flick.

Preserving London’s myths and legends is Almond’s stated aim with this musical project. Judging by the number of people gathering up their coats well before the end of this challenging musical cabaret, both Harle and Almond were wide of the mark.