When Robbie Williams failed to show up for their 2006 reunion, Take That acquired an underdog status they never enjoyed in their heyday as Britain's best boy band, while their errant ex-member looked like a party pooper. Since then, the reunited foursome seem to have finally replaced Williams in the hearts of the British public. Named after their number one comeback album, the Beautiful World tour is a massive Take That party from beginning to end. Of course, the quartet are no longer a boy band. They are mature men with facial hair who play instruments, say "arse" and "shit", and employ stage imagery straight out of Orwell's 1984. This grown-up status is demonstrated by It Only Takes a Minute's pole dancers routine, though this is the only time the Mancunians descend into outright sexual display.

The now-trim Gary Barlow reveals that comeback hits Patience and I'd Wait for Life are the result of pondering what Take That should be like as adults - they are anthemic, emotional, worldly and sublime. The sounds rarely let up, and the visuals are stunning. There are flames (for Relight My Fire), African dancers, pianos ascending from trap doors, precariously suspended dancers and an enormous chorus line for the enormously chorused Never Forget. However, even this multimillion pound extravaganza can't compete with the natural spectacle of thousands of female hands in the air, or the sense of hormones going haywire during Back for Good, Shine, Pray and all the rest.

Last time around, Robbie Williams appeared as a 10ft hologram. Here, the band take an Orwellian stance and rewrite him out of their history, clearly having decided to just follow the instructions of their 1993 debut album - Take That and Party.

· At the 02 Arena, London (0871 984 0002), tomorrow until December 8. Returns only. Then touring.