(Cat Simoni)
We Luv Abba! is a must for all lovers of the music of
this prodigious pop group. (Review by Keith Millar)
Friday night marked
a very special occasion in the history of Durban’s popular supper theatre
venue, the Rhumbelow in Umbilo.
After a seven month
shut-down the venue reopened, freshly renovated and re-equipped. While the venerable
old place is looking beautifully grand and spruced up, I am happy to say that
it still retains all its quaint and quirky charm.
Friday night also
marked the start of the 18th year of operation of the Rhumbelow
Theatre. A remarkable achievement in these days of uncertainty in the theatre
industry. Huge credit goes to impresario extraordinaire, Roland Stansell, whose
single-minded determination and perseverance has ensured that this gem of a
venue continues to offer entertainment to Durban audiences through thick and thin.
The production
chosen for the grand re-opening was We
Luv Abba! starring chanteuse Cat Simoni, with Paul Spence as director and
co-star.
There were two
great moments in this show when Cat Simoni showed off her virtuosity on the
piano while singing soulful versions of the Swedish pop group ABBA’s 1979 hits,
Chiquita and I Have a Dream. Both were beautifully
and movingly sung by this talented singer.
However, the rest
of the show was a mish-mash of corny dialogue, ham acting, bad accents, loud backtracks
and back-up singing that did not meet the standard.
The concept of
trying to turn the life and music of one of the greatest pop groups of all time
into a comedy escapes me.
The performance of
the two songs mentioned above are an indication of what an ABBA tribute show
could have been, rather than this production which smacked of disrespect to the
iconic group.
Having said that,
the majority of the full house audience seemed to love the show as they sang
and clapped along with the music and found Spence’s constant clowning-about
very funny. So maybe I am wrong.
Cat Simoni, who has
appearances at prestigious London venues like The Ritz, Dorchester, Carlton and
Savoy on her CV, plays blond singer Agnetha Fältskog in the first half and then becomes brunette Anni-Frid
Lyngstad in the second half, while Spence plays Björn Ulvaeus throughout.
Together they
perform many of Abba’s big and memorable hits. One is inclined to forget just
how many there were in this group’s 10 year career.
We Luv Abba! is a must for all lovers of the music of
this prodigious pop group. Whatever your favourite songs are, I am sure you
will find them included in this show.
The show still has performances
at the Rhumbelow Theatre in Cunningham Road in Umbilo tonight (July 7 at 20h00)
and tomorrow (July 8 at 14h00). (Venue opens 90 minutes before show for picnic
dinner).
Tickets are R150 pp
and are available from Computicket or by contacting Roland on Cell 082 499 8636
or email: roland@stansell.co.za
Bring food picnic
baskets. Braais are available as is limited secure parking. Bar available (no
alcohol may be brought onto the premises) – Keith Millar
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