IT’S time to get your spandex, bellbottoms and platforms out of the wardrobe as The Abba Show comes to Sibaya Casino’s iZulu Theatre for a four-week run.
Showtime Australia are to stage the show from next week after more than 3 300 performances worldwide.
The show features 20 of the Swedish group’s most popular songs performed live with authentic costumes, a backing band and theatrical lighting and effects. It has been described as a tribute big enough to be a real Abba concert.
Tonight caught up with Giles Tingey who plays Benny in the show. He recalled when he first fell in love with Abba.
“My first memory of Abba was from digging through my parents’ record collection as a child. I clearly remember seeing the cover of an Abba album and laughing hysterically at the costumes and hair on display… little did I know that many years later I too would be dressing up like that to go on stage!”
Asked who his Abba favourite was, he said: “Abba has always been about Agnetha and Anni-Frid. They were both beautiful women with a definite European charm. However, the character I play, Benny, has a certain cheerful aura about him which, when combined with the costumes and his mannerisms, always makes me smile.”
Tingey believes one of the reasons for Abba’s continued popularity is that they wrote and performed “good songs that were close to their heart”.
“This in essence makes the songs timeless and therefore generations of fans over and over again can relate to the topics or experiences they are singing about.
“Second, despite Abba taking a hiatus from performing in the mid-’80s the resurgence of their popularity with the release of the West End musical Mamma Mia! in 1999 bought a new generation and genre of fans to Abba’s music.”
Since joining the cast about three years ago, Tingey has done more than 400 shows across the world from Canada to New Zealand.
“Regardless of where we perform, the show is always a sell-out and people from the ages of 7 to 70 come and enjoy a fantastic performance of Abba hits in a fun-packed family environment. The combination of good music, crazy costumes, an interactive set and a bit of comedy make for a highly enjoyable evening which is why The Abba Show is so popular and people return to see us time and again.”
In a press statement, show promoter Johnny Van Grinsven said The Abba Show is by far their best-selling show all over the world: “People dress up in costumes, dance through the whole show and take a ton of photos – it’s a testament to what great entertainers Abba were. And the music never gets old – it’s so well-written that people still recognise its value today.”
• The Abba Show, Dec 11 to Jan 18 at Sibaya, plus one show at WildCoast Sun Casino’s Tropical Nites Theatre on Jan 6. Book Computicket or box office.