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Abba Mania

★★★★

Shaftesbury Theatre

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Abba Mania

Abba Mania

Shaftesbury Theatre & UK Tour

Reviewed – 21st May 2021

★★★★

 

“the infectious atmosphere envelopes you and the bonhomie and banter sway in time to the backbeat”

 

Back in the heady hedonistic heyday of the early seventies, two young Swedish couples; Agnetha and Björn, and Benny and Anni-Frid, got together and embarked on an enterprise that would ruin both their marriages. But no matter, in the meantime they invented the Pop franchise, spawned a global industry of ‘tribute acts’, foresaw the jukebox musical, and thrust the music industry into the realms of multimedia and merchandise. They didn’t know this at the time, though, as they were busy with their in-fighting. But nevertheless, also creating a body of work that, nearly fifty years on, is still the soundtrack of people’s lives.

When the band broke up in 1982, it was decidedly ‘uncool’ to like ABBA. They were the biggest pop stars in the world. Yet while the musicians quietly stepped away from the limelight, the songs they created took on a life of their own. It is quite a phenomenon how the music has survived decades of cultural changes and artistic trends, ultimately uniting drag queens, housewives, hipsters, students and most in between.

“ABBA MANIA” is part of that legacy. Self-titled the number one touring ABBA tribute concert it swoops into the temporarily dark Shaftesbury Theatre to help re-open the West End with a party. Rule number one: if you’re invited to a gig like this, make sure your ‘plus one’ doesn’t stand you up, leaving you in the midst of an uninhibited (socially distanced) crowd and feeling like the sad, eccentric, dyed-in-the-wool fanatic, shyly tapping your feet whilst all around hips are swinging and arms are waving. At least I wasn’t wearing an anorak. But the infectious atmosphere envelopes you and the bonhomie and banter sway in time to the backbeat. “I thought I was coming to see Mamma Mia!”, a woman cries over the chorus – but not in the least disappointed. “I feel like I’m at a wedding in Manchester!” (whatever that means). “I f#@king love it… it’s so real”.

Is it real? The presentation of the numbers is spot on. Rhiannon Porter, JoJo Desmond, Edward Handoll and Loucas Hajiantoni take on the foursome with real panache and crowd-pleasing authority. We open with the Euro-conquering ‘Waterloo’, of course. Straight into ‘Voulez-Vous’ with added descant tipping its hat to ‘Moulin Rouge’, followed by all the favourites: ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ complete with audience participation with the glissando ‘a-ha’s’; ‘Mamma Mia!’, ‘Take A Chance On Me’, ‘I Have A Dream’ (which always reminds of a Coca Cola advert), ‘’The Name Of The Game’… The solo numbers stand out. For example, the stripped back ‘I’ve Been Waiting For You’, or the soaring voice in ‘The Winner Takes It All’ – a gorgeous moment, even if it doesn’t quite pack the emotional punch of Meryl Streep crying to the Aegean Sea from a windswept Skopelos hilltop.

The singers’ inter-song repartee is limited to reminding us of where we are. Which is a shame as we want to forget. We are in a rainy night in Soho. However, the performers are giving us every ray of sunshine we can get. The party is in swing; ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme’ follows ‘Super Trouper’ which follows ‘S.O.S.’. With the opening riff to ‘Dancing Queen’, it’s time to turn round and start watching the crowd. Spirits and arms are in the air.

Then it’s all over. Almost. The band are in the wings counting the foot stomps before coming back on stage. This tribute act claims to replicate ABBA’s final ever gig. It does, and it doesn’t. It certainly captures the essence, but it is unthinkable that there is any finality about it. As they sing out with ‘Thank You For The Music’, it is we who are really thanking them – for keeping it all alive. Like ABBA’s music, this show will go on. It is irresistible, timeless, belt-out, feel-good.

 

Reviewed by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Mark Senior

 


Abba Mania

Shaftesbury Theatre until 6th June then UK Tour continues – visit abbamania.com for details

 

Reviewed this year by Jonathan:
Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Hung Parliament | ★★★★ | Online | February 2021
The Picture of Dorian Gray | ★★★★ | Online | March 2021
Bklyn The Musical | ★★★★★ | Online | March 2021
Remembering the Oscars | ★★★ | Online | March 2021
Disenchanted | ★★★ | Online | April 2021
Preludes in Concert |
You Are Here | ★★★★ | Southwark Playhouse | May 2021

 

Click here to see our most recent reviews

 

Falling Stars

Falling Stars

★★★★

Online

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Falling Stars

Falling Stars

Online a stream.theatre

Reviewed – 23rd November 2020

★★★★

 

“Sally Ann Triplett’s gorgeous, velveteen voice covers many of the ballads with a sensual warmth, rich in emotion”

 

In today’s current climate people are either pushing forward towards a somewhat uncertain future or taking a stroll down Memory Lane. The latter is invariably a journey accompanied by nostalgia, and it is through Peter Polycarpou’s rose tinted glasses that we are invited to view a snapshot of the music and the spirit of the 1920’s. Subtitled ‘A Celebration of the Golden Era’, it packs into an hour a treasure trove of melodies; a mix of the familiar with the obscure and in the process, we discover some real gems.

We are told, in the opening credits, that the production was cancelled on day one of rehearsals due to the lockdown, but that Polycarpou was determined to reach his audience, so in the space of three days he recorded the show for streaming online. A timely reminder that the explosion of creativity being celebrated here came out of a world reeling from the aftermath, not just of World War I, but also the third (take note!) wave of the ‘Spanish Flu’ pandemic. It is a century since such adversity gave way to the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz Age, and it is shows like Polycarpou’s song-cycle that give us hope that history will come full circle again and there is always cause for celebration.

“Falling Stars” is clearly a labour of love. The premise being that while killing time before a matinee show, he wandered into an antique shop, discovered a battered songbook and bought it for a song. Literally. Polycarpou’s excitement is infectious as he leafs through the pages and recruits Sally Ann Triplett to perform extracts and full-blown numbers from the songbook, translating the dusty, monochrome dots on the page into a multicoloured, multi-layered revue.

It is quite a whirlwind of a tour and comes across as a rather indulgent history lesson at times and, although fascinating, it is sometimes hard work to keep up with the rapid-fire catalogue of composers, lyricists, songwriters, performers and songs. It works best when Triplett and Polycarpou turn away from the camera and interact with each other. But better still when they melt into the songs. Polycarpou oozes personality and joie de vivre while Sally Ann Triplett’s gorgeous, velveteen voice covers many of the ballads with a sensual warmth, rich in emotion.

The title number, “Falling Star”, penned by Meredith Wilson and Charlie Chaplin, is one such fine example. It is quite a revelation to learn what a prolific and talented composer Charlie Chaplin was, particularly on other numbers too, such as the duet, “Now That It’s Ended”, and “Smile”, performed by Polycarpou accompanying himself at the piano. The evening contains a diverse set of numbers that shines a spotlight on many unfamiliar tunes as old favourites, intimately performed by the duo with Musical Director Mark Dickman on piano. Andrew Exeter’s lighting beautifully evokes the setting, merging the shadows of the antique shop with warm washes that tease the sentiment out of the lyrical content. But even in a bare, characterless backroom of a shop, Triplett could evoke the yearning and the passion of these songs, as she shifts from the plaintiff “Why Don’t You Leave Me Alone” to the upbeat duo “Tea For Two” or Buddy De Sylva’s “You Ain’t Heard Nothing Yet”.

The show closes with the achingly beautiful Irving Berlin number, “What’ll I Do?”, a bittersweet eulogy to lost love and faded dreams. It is countered, though, with a final echo of Chaplin’s inimitable verse; “You’ll find that life is still worthwhile, if you’ll just smile.” A bit mawkish, perhaps, but exactly what we want right now.

 

 

Reviewed by Jonathan Evans

Photography by  Paul Nicholas Dyke

 

Falling Stars

Online until 29th November via stream.theatre

 

Recently reviewed by Jonathan:
St Anne Comes Home | ★★★★ | St Paul’s Church Covent Garden | August 2020
A Hero Of Our Time | ★★★★ | Stone Nest | September 2020
Buyer and Cellar | ★★★★ | Above the Stag | October 2020
The Great Gatsby | ★★★★★ | Immersive LDN | October 2020
The Last Five Years | ★★★★★ | Southwark Playhouse | October 2020
The Off Key | ★★★ | White Bear Theatre | October 2020
What a Carve Up! | ★★★★★ | Online | October 2020
Little Wars | ★★★★ | Online | October 2020
Right Left With Heels | ★★★★ | Online | November 2020
Marry me a Little | ★★★★ | Online | November 2020

 

Click here to see our most recent reviews