DANCING QUEEN

Phenomenally successful show returns to The Barnyard at Gateway.

Like the two bands the show pays tribute to, Dancing Queen has been such a phenomenal success that The Barnyard Theatre at Gateway is bringing it back for an encore season! Dancing Queen brings together two of the most influential pop and rock groups of all time – ABBA and Queen – in this hit show which will run from September 1 to October 11.

This elaborate production takes audiences on a trip back through space and time when glitz, glam and some of the greatest pop tunes ever written emerged in the 70s and early 80s

Dancing Queen kicks off in 1973 when ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Waterloo and soon became Sweden’s biggest musical export ever. The ABBA side of the show continues with hits like Ring Ring, SOS, Does Your Mother Know, Thank You For The Music, Knowing Me Knowing You and many more. Their music is produced with an authentic reproduction of this era and sets the show alight.

On the other side of Dancing Queen, audiences encounter a different musical experience that compliments the poppy tunes of ABBA with the introduction of the music of Queen - a band that symbolized the excessive and over the top showmanship that characterized the decadent 70s and early 80s. Queen were noted for their musical diversity, multi-layered arrangements, vocal harmonies and the talented cast pull this off to perfection. Showcased are their hits like Killer Queen, Somebody To Love, We Are The Champions, Don’t Stop Me Now amongst others. The album Night at the Opera - one of Queen’s most popular albums -receives a special tribute in this show with songs like Death On Two Legs, You’re My Best Friend, Love Of My Life and the full version of the epic Bohemian Rhapsody.

The second half of Dancing Queen sees the show growing to a climax with more reproductions of ABBA music with songs like Money, Money, Take A Chance On Me, I Have A Dream, Voulez Vous, while the Queen section features more 80’s anthems such as It’s A Kind Of Magic, Radio Ga Ga, The Show Must Go On, Another One Bites The Dust, Who Wants To Live Forever and many more. The eleven–piece cast converge in the finale to stage one big ABBA / Queen party where these two giants of music are combined into one phenomenal force that promises to rock audience like never before.

The cast will consist of JP Moggee, Lee Paver and Rene Kruger on male vocals; Elme Jacobs and Candice Du Plessis on female vocals; Marcus Thatcher and Jethro Strange on guitars; James Dobson on keyboards; Banda Banda on bass guitar; and Graeme Chart on drums.

Tickets R115 pp Wednesday to Saturday (R80pp discounted specials on Tuesday nights and Sunday matinees) For bookings and enquiries, phone The Barnyard Theatre on 031 566 3045, e-mail gateway@barnyardtheatres.co.za or visit www.barnyardtheatres.co.za for more information.