Abba Mania – Shaftesbury Theatre

JoJo Desmond and Rhiannon Porter in Abba Mania at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London. Picture: Mark Senior

Abba Mania continues at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London until 6 June 2021.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

Maybe just whisper it among close friends, but strange as it seems in 2021 there was a time when being an Abba fan was something you kept to yourself – to maintain your street cred. Not for a while when the fab Swedish four was basking in the glory of winning Eurovision back in 1974 with their glorious, just about perfect pop tune, ‘Waterloo’, but certainly when punk arrived. It wasn’t just about the music – admiring a band that favoured glam gold knee-length boots and glittery costumes when people wore bondage trousers and a snarl, took some courage.

Then came the huge Abba revival, of course, the hit show Mamma Mia! (and film) seeing huge renewed interest in the band’s back catalogue and deserved re-affirmation of their song writing prowess. The flip side was an avalanche of third-rate tribute imitations. But, today, the wheat has well and truly been sorted from the naff and Abba Mania is surely up there with the best of the acts spreading the gospel around the globe. As an homage to the group that almost single handedly put the kudos back into kitsch, there’s enough for even non-Abba fanatics to enjoy.

Spirited, energetic and vocally tight from the very start, their audience may have been socially distanced on the night but was soon united in song after song. After all, how can you not sing along to the likes of ‘Voulez-Vous’, ‘Money, Money, Money’, ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)’, and the sure-fire crowd-pleaser, ‘Dancing Queen’?

In the pivotal role of Agnetha, it’s not really until she sings ‘The Winner Takes It All’, that you fully realise how fabulous Rhiannon Porter’s voice is. Any musical producers looking for a leading lady would do well to jot her name down on their ‘to call’ list. Alongside the impressive Jo Jo Desmond as Anni-Frid, the glam duo seamlessly cajole the crowd into spirited vocal participation and before too long, the Shaftesbury Theatre is in party mood.

As Bjorn, Edward Handoll (guitar) exudes an infectious good feel vibe, not to mention a constant broad grin, while Loucas Hajiantoni as Benny Andersson (and musical director), seated behind his ice white piano, glows with enthusiasm for the Abba cause.

Forty minutes in, the first half does start to look a little bit pedestrian visually though, and if this tribute show is to really succeed in prestigious venues then it needs to up the ante in the visual effects department. But the production makes amends the minute the curtain comes up for Act II and maintains that professionalism right through to the heartfelt, quite emotional encore, a vocal nod to their musical Benny-factors with ‘Thank You For The Music’. On this evidence, Abba mania is well and truly born again.

Derek Smith