People are going ABBAsolutely crazy for these ABBA shows in London
Updated on 22 August 2023
"Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie more ABBA content," we hear you sing from your ABBA-obsessed soul. Well, fear not, as we’ve got plenty of gems to feed your ABBA obsession! First, there’s The Way Old Friends Do, an ABBA-inspired musical centered around four people who revel in their adoration for the Swedish superstars (and who can blame them?) we also have the epic return of the iconic ABBA: The Movie - the ultimate celebratory fan event. There is also the virtual concert ABBA Voyage and, of course, the beloved delightful musical MAMMA MIA!
ABBA is adored worldwide due to their genre-defying sound and incomparable vibrant energy. They have become a timeless symbol of pop perfection and remain as fresh as anything in the modern charts. Yet, they continue to possess a sound unlike anything else out there. How do they manage it, and why do people love them so much? Discover the answers in ABBA: The Movie, Abba Voyage, MAMMA MIA! and The Way Old Friends Do. But first, let's learn a bit more about them!
About MAMMA MIA!
Meet the bright and bubbly Sophie - she’s as sunny as the Greek island that she and her mother Donna (former leader of Donna and The Dynamos) live on. Sophie has two dreams, to stage the perfect wedding, and have her father walk her down the aisle, only…she doesn’t know who he is. One fateful day when Sophie stumbles upon her mother’s old diaries, she decides that it’s time to take matters into her own hands.
Harry, Bill and Sam are the names of her mother's past lovers, but Sophie doesn’t know which one to invite, so she invites them all. When all the men dock up on the island, things take an interesting turn. The beloved story of MAMMA MIA! is narrated by the iconic music of ABBA, and has had audiences dancing worldwide for years.
About ABBA: The Movie
ABBA: The Movie is making a comeback faster than you can say Voulez-Vou, and has all the trademarks of an incredible ABBA production. With the best of remastered footage and exclusive glimpses into ABBA’s interactive museum in Stockholm, ABBA: The Movie is directed by Lasse Hallström. The movie stars Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Agnetha Fältskog, and lets you see behind the scenes of ABBA's triumphant 1977 Australian tour.
The narrative follows a determined DJ’s antics as he pursues an interview with the group, the result is a series of hilarious encounters, backstage secrets, electrifying live performances, and insights into the lives of the music legends during the zenith of their fame. The film showcases remastered footage and renditions of ABBA's greatest hits, including chart-toppers like 'Dancing Queen,' 'SOS,' 'Name Of The Game,' and 'Waterloo.' Also, it gives a glimpse into the creative minds behind ABBA Voyage.
About The Way Old Friends Do
This laugh-out-loud new comedy at London’s Criterion Theatre is written by and starring Ian Hallard (The Boys in the Band), and features the voices of Miriam Margolyes and the late Paul O’Grady.
The story begins in the late 80s in Birmingham, where two school friends make a cautious but bold decision to come out…in very different ways. One comes out as gay, whilst the other more unexpectedly declares himself one of ABBA’s biggest fans. Fast forward thirty years and the old classmates have a lucky re-encounter and form the world’s first-ever drag ABBA tribute band! United, they embark on a tour complete with platform boots, fake beards and some very distracting eye candy. Can their adult friendship endure the ups and downs of life on the road?
About ABBA Voyage
This ground-breaking virtual comeback was created by the CGI of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), don’t know what that means? Us neither! But, fun fact of the day, the same technology that makes ABBA Voyage has also been used extensively in the Marvel films! Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid have teamed up to make sure that their fans have the best of everything.
The retro-futuristic spectacle blends the lines between the digital and physical world, it makes it look so real that you’ll feel like the stars are actually there before your very eyes. Celebrate the memories and the good days with all of ABBA’s beloved classics.
By Kevin Thomas
From as early as I can recall, writing has always been my passion. Being able to combine this with my love for theatre has been a rewarding and exhilarating experience. I truly believe that there is magic in seeing a story brought to life on stage, and this is what I would like to promote to audiences.