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Old Spice ...

in their retro outfits, it could have been 1997 all over again.

Provided, that is, that you closed your eyes.

Time has had a dramatic effect on the Spice Girls formerly known as Posh, Ginger, Baby, Sporty and Scary.

In the years since they split, there have been three husbands, seven children and one divorce - not to mention surgical enhancements.

And while most of us have put on a few pounds in the past ten years, Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell and Melanie Chisholm are a mere shadow of their former selves. Emma Bunton remains her slender self while only Melanie Brown appears larger than she used to - thanks to hours spent working out for the U.S. TV show Dancing With The Stars.

The return of the Famous Five happened in Vancouver, where more than 15,000 fans were reduced to a hysterical frenzy at the first official performance of the Spice Girls' comeback tour.

There were eight costume changes as they performed 22 numbers, accompanied by a troupe of semiclad male dancers.

Designer Roberto Cavalli had faithfully recreated some of the most memorable looks from their early days, adding a glamorous twist on outfits such as 35-year- old Geri's Union Jack dress by adding rhinestones and Swarovski crystals.

But while a younger Miss Halliwell struggled to stop her curves from bursting out of the skimpy frock at the Brit awards in 1997, this time she had to keep yanking it up to stop it falling off.

Victoria's husband David flew in from his football team's tour of New Zealand, presenting each of the women with a gold bracelet beforehand as a good-luck charm.

All five performed a solo singing spot - with one notable exception. Instead of putting her voice to the test, Posh opted for a dance routine.

The five had all been criticised for failing to sing live in the run-up to the weekend performance, despite staging two earlier warm-up gigs. Yesterday, their spokesman said they had sung on stage - albeit with the aid of click track, a device which kicks in to bolster their performance when their voices fail.

Critics were largely unimpressed. Marsha Lederman, of the Canadian Globe and Mail, said: 'Posh Spice looked uncomfortable in her tightly corseted outfits and carefully coiffed hair, which she spent a fair amount of time clearing from her face.

'Her dance moves were stiff and at one point at least she started to sing a line before it was time.'

The reunited five stand to make £60million from the tour, a greatest hits album and a raft of marketing deals. They play their first UK date next week at London's O2 arena.