(Jacobus van Heerden, Pinkie Mtshali and Sean de Klerk. Seated: Lisa Bobbert and Marion Loudon with Aaron McIlroy popping into the picture on the right. Photo: Val Adamson)Hugely entertaining revival celebrates ABBA music through a fun storyline. (Review by Caroline Smart)
Some 14 years on and several revival seasons later, Abbamaniacs is set to be a box office hit yet again. Responding to constant pleas to revive the show, Aaron McIlroy dons his familiar role of DJ Nigel Bjorn van Rensburg in this hugely entertaining show that celebrates the music of the Swedish group ABBA through a fun storyline.
ABBA comprised two married couples from Stockholm: Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus as well as Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They shot to major international fame in 1974 when ABBA won that year’s Eurovision Song Contest, thereby becoming the first Swedish group to do so. In the following years until the group split up in 1982 after the collapse of both marriages, they produced an impressive line-up of hits. These ranged from Ring Ring and Waterloo to Voulez-Vous and Super Trouper as well as my favourite, Thank You for the Music. The music continues to have a solid universal appeal, borne out by the fact that they have sold over 370 million records worldwide!
The storyline of Abbamaniacshinges on one DJ Nigel Bjorn van Rensburg (McIlroy), a passionate ABBA supporter who believes that Agnetha Fältskog (the blonde female ABBA member) is in love with him. He hijacks East Coast Radio's airwaves to make sure that ABBA’s music is heard but lives in fear of the Radio Police who are certain to shut him down.
Nigel’s link with reality is tenuous, to say the least. He firmly believes that people don’t hear much about ABBA now because Barry Ronge ate them! Nigel also believes that there is a dreaded thieving element called The One-Shoe. This mildly manic soul with his high energy and madcap mannerisms has gone on to become a firm favourite in many of McIlroy’s shows.
New members to the Abbamaniacs troupe are Marion Loudon and Sean de Klerk who join its creators Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert as well as Cobus van Heerden and Pinkie Mtshali. Some of the new scripting elements work and some don’t but overall it’s a fine, tightly knit ensemble and it’s the whacky mayhem that carries the show – and of course, ABBA’s music.
Terrence Bray’s costumes fit the ABBA look with tight-fitting outfits, flared pants, lots of frills and sequins and those impossibly high platform boots! Michael Broderick’s lighting is superb – seen to particular advantage in The Winner Takes It All sung by Marion Loudon.
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Written and directed by McIlroy and presented by MacBob Productions, Abbamaniacs is acknowledged as one of MacBob's greatest runaway successes. It runs until June 24 at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre with performances at 19h30 (Tuesdays to Saturdays) and 15h00 (Sundays). Tickets R129. Despite its long run (in Durban terms!), it is advisable to book as tickets are bound to move fast. Booking is at Computicket on 0861 915 8000 or online at www.computicket.com – Caroline Smart
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