NEW SWEDISH MUSICAL USES "KRISTINA" SONGS

I found an article in the Swedish local newspaper Ljusnan about a new Swedish musical containing songs from "Kristina från Duvemåla". The name of the musical is "Carin Danielsdotter" and it will be performed in Alfta, Sweden between June 22 and July 6, 2003. Björn & Benny have given Jon Anderzon (who wrote the manuscript) permission to use the songs.

The musical is about people in the area who emigrated from the Alfta-area in the middle of the 19th century. Carin Danielsdotter really existed, she was born in the area. The story seems to be similar to "Kristina från Duvemåla". 5,000 tickets will go on sale at the end of this month.

I haven't translated the whole article, but here are the relevant parts:

--------------
It began last summer when a group of young people, from Alfta church, who like to sing and act, began talking about performing a musical, maybe "Kristina från Duvemåla".

Jon Anderzon from Alfta, who has studied theatre and dance at Calle Flygare theater school, was excited by the idea and is now the person who's been working full-time for the past year to make the project happen.

Emigrants, Kristina från Duvemåla, the emigration from the Alfta-area. Jon realized that there was plenty to work with.

- I began with calling Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus' record company, maybe I could get their permission to use melodies from "Kristina från Duvemåla", says Jon Anderzon. A few months later, during the peak of summer, Benny Andersson called and gave me a surprising answer.

He gave the green light to use a large number of the songs and melodies from the emigration epic. Alfta is the only town in the world which has received such a permission for their own musical.

- I got real excited, and soon I was working on a manuscript, Jon Anderzon says. Björn and Benny have a big interest in the emigration to America, and it looks like they, and maybe also other famous people, will come to Alfta for the rehearsals a few days before the premiere.

The musical will be played on an outdoor stage at Ol-Andersgården, where also "Migranternas hus" (The migrants' house) is located. Ten performances, with the premiere on June 22, are planned.

- There will only be ten performances, the last one on July 6, no matter how many people want to see it, Jon Anderzon reveals. I made that promise to Björn and Benny at the same time I was given the unique permission to use the songs. Among them are of course "Du måste finnas" and "Guldet blev till sand".

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Claes Davidsson, Orlando, Florida, USA

CHARTS - WEEK 12

Canada: 20th Century Masters is down 6 to #97.
Germany: The Definitive Collection is up 22 to #48.
Australia: The Definitive Collection DVD is down 3 to #5.
Netherlands: The Definitive Collection is up 17 to #60.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Newlands, Wellington, New Zealand

LIVING IN THE SEVENTIES - NEW AUSSIE BOOK!

I've got another new book to tell you all about. It's sort of ABBA related as it has a little bit about ABBA in Australia in the 70s.

It's called Living in the 70s - Being young in Australia in an extraordinary decade, by Alison Pressley. Published by Random House Australia.

The title says it all really. It's a study of growing up in the 70s in Australia, told by people who lived through it. Some were famous then, some are famous now, and some are just everyday nobodies.

It's broken up into 4 main sections - The Style (looks, sights, sounds), The Lifestyle (Daily life in the 70s), Our bodies, ourselves (Body and soul) and The Wider World (A decade of tumultuous change), plus a postscript on moving out of the 70s and into the 80s.

The basic contents of the book are quotes on the relvant topics. Most are anonymous - you don't know who has said what, except for those that were made by famous people when its obvious from the subject matter who it is, for example a member of Aussie band Sherbet talking about their concerts or Aussie fashion designer Jenny Kee talking fashion. Rather than being a sociological history, it's just people talking about their experiences. Which in a way is a sociological study in itself.

ABBA obviously feature the most in the first section, many people mentioning them when talking about the music of the decade.

*I* was one of the people interviewed. The author went searching for ABBA on the net, found my famous post about the day I got the Arrival LP that had been posted on ABBAMAIL and featured on the ABBAMAIL website, and got in contact. She has used that story (a combination of that ABBAMAIL post plus some stuff that we talked about during the interview) - it comes to almost 2 pages in the book. There's at least one other quote from me about the TV show Blankety Blanks (which I've just noticed is also paraphrased in a photo caption of the show's cast). I haven't found anything else, but I haven't really read the whole thing yet. Pity she didn't use some stuff that I said about the many ABBA fans who were fans then and are still fans now and stay informed and in contact on the net (through ABBAMAIL, of course), but I guess that wasn't really within the scope of the book.

I got my copy from the publisher a couple of weeks ago but it is now released commercially.

It's weird seeing my name on the acknowledgements at the front, listed among the many people known and unknown who were interviewed (at least one of whom I've met). In some ways, weirder than being name checked in ABBA books.

It's pretty funky and fun if you want to go back and relive the 70s as they were, not as the revisionist 70s history we usually get in TV shows and movies these days.

For publishers information about the book, go to:
http://www.randomhouse.com.au/ then flick through the What's New pages - it comes up on the 3rd page.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ian Cole, Sydney Australia

SHANGHAI CONCERT ON VCD

The is such a thing as ABBA - The Definitive Collection VCD! It is commercially produced in a sleeve with Chinese written down the left side and the bottom and the Definitive Collection pic. Now, you would expect it to be whatever is on the DVD but on 2 Video CDs. Noooooooooooo way!.

It is the 1999 Shanghai B & B Concert!

Guess who makes a few cameo appearances at the end during the finale? Moi!

It looks like it's the TV broadcast of the concert video taped then put on VCD. The quality of the image is very pixilated when the camera zooms out, but frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. It is brilliant to relive the whole thing. See close ups of everyone as they are singing. I didn't notice as many mistakes as I did looking at the VCDs. Tommy has trouble remembering the lyrics and has to keep looking at the cue screen. They even fluff it during On & On & On! Oh, the joy! They are having so much fun!

How did I find this? A friend found it on the Japanese Yahoo! Auction site. She bought it and found that it was the above mentioned concert.

No doubt, this VCD is also in Hong Kong. I tried looking at the website (http://www.yzav.net/) but I can't find any English section.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer George Bourdaniotis, Osaka Japan

MORE FAN REACTION TO ABBA'S BIGGEST SECRET

Here's what I thought ...

It wasn't clear until the last 5 minutes or so that the reason behind the program was the actions of some of the Norwegian Lebensborn, now obviously in their 50s, seeking compensation from the Norweigian government for the treatment they received as children of Nazi fathers and the physical and psychological damage done to them as a result. Someone along the way has obviously wondered where they could find an interesting spin on the story and come up with Frida.

Interesting points to note:
- Permission to use any ABBA music was refused for the program
- Harry Edgington was interviewed
- Carl Magnus Palm was interviewed
- Charlie Norman was interviewed
- Bubi Heileman was interviewed
- An old school friend of Synni Lyngstad's was interviewed
- Tony Blackburn, Ed Stewart and David Jenson (UK DJs) were all interviewed

Nothing new for me to learn about the Frida story but I did learn a bit about the Nazi regime I didn't know before. Pretty horrible I must say. But I thought the 'perfect' Ayran race were blonde and blue-eyed ... Alfred Hasse was dark and so was Synni according to the one picture I've seen of her. So for German soldiers to be under orders to impregnate as many suitable women as possible makes no sense to me. One of the Lebensborn women from Norway was interviewed (very blonde) and the people seeking the compensation all looked fair too.

There was some fantastic footage shown of ABBA in London in Arrival outfits posing for photos and getting into the helicopter which I'd never seen before and also some footage of the Dinah Shore show which I'd also never seen before.

The program wasn't over-sensationalised but it was a bit tacky with a 'reconstruction' in black and white of Synni and Alfred together. The comments of the UK DJs I thought gave the situation a grubby feel to it. No-one can, after all, help who their parents were/are and I kept hearing the phrase 'it wasn't Frida's fault'.

Over the years, many people have said that Frida's life should be turned into a movie. I think we saw a trailer for it tonight.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Sara Russell, Bracknell, UK

ABBA'S BIGGEST SECRET: MORE FAN REACTION

This time from ABBAMAILer Kevin Fletcher, Birmingham, UK

What did I learn?

Harry Edgington did not come across very well at all; I would hate to meet up with him on a dark night ;-)

Carl Magnus looked great, I'm sure he gets cuter with age~

Frida is a recluse now and never makes appearances (hmmmm - a bit of a suspect observation).

No-one in the UK can spell Alfred Haase's surname ;-)

I never knew Alfred bombarded Görel will telephone calls saying he was Frida's father.

There was no mention of how Alfred broke the news to his wife, who was oblivious until then that he had had an affair during the war

I had never considered that Alfred's pals would have said "Congratulations, you're the father of a very famous singer"

I knew nothing of the Norwegian backlash against the lebensborn program.

It was clear within minutes that permission had been denied to play any ABBA music; the music used was unrecognisable background stuff. There were some nice ABBA shots and footage that I've never seen before.

The program was sensationalist, but nowhere near as bad as I imagined.

MAMMA MIA! BROADWAY STARS FOR U.S. TV!

Tina Maddigan and Joe Machota, currently starring as Sophie and Sky in the Broadway production of Mamma Mia! will be on "The Caroline Rhea Show" on Friday, March 28th. The nationally syndicated talk show airs on WABC Channel 7 at 1:05 AM in the tri-state area (check local listings in other areas).

From the Mamma Mia! mailing list.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

WHO WAS PETER HIMMELSTRAND?

during the program "ABBA's BIGGEST SECRET", Harry Edgington revealed that he had spoken to someone who had worked
closely with some of the ABBA members before they became ABBA and who knew a lot about their background. He was referring to Peter Himmelstrand. Peter was-author of the book "ABBA - The Lovers Who Conquered The World".

Peter had links with all four members as a songwriter, including some important milestone songs too.

He wrote the beautiful "Barnen Söver" which featured on Frida's debut LP as well as the lyrics for "Min Egen Stad", "Tre Kvart från Nu" and the two Jesus Christ Superstar songs from the same album.

He wrote "Så Här Börjar Kärlek" - the duet with Agnetha and Björn on Agnetha's third LP - the first time two ABBA members sung together on record. He also wrote the Swedish lyrics for "När Jag Var Fem" on the same album.

He co-wrote the popular "Många Gånger Än" with Agnetha which featured on her fourth album.

He co-wrote "Tio Mil Kvar Till Korpilombolo" with Agnetha and Björn for Agnetha. This is the Swedish version of "Here For Your Love".

He co-wrote three songs with Björn and Benny for the "Lycka" album.

He wrote the Swedish lyrics to the Swedish version of the Beatles' "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" for the Hootenanny Singers. He also wrote some songs for the Hep Stars.

And more importantly, he devised the Festfolk cabaret show which was the very first incarnation of ABBA as well as writing material for the Björn, Benny, Svenne and Lotta cabaret show.

This isn't even an exhaustive list. Peter Himmelstrand wrote many songs, both music and lyrics, for a number of Swedish artists. Towa Carsson, Björn Skifs, Family Four and Sylvia Vrethammar were just some of the artists to have hits with songs written by Peter. Peter was married to singer Kirsten Aulén and the two even had a hit on Svensktoppen as a duo.

There is a picture of Peter with Björn, Benny and Stig at the 1972 Melodifestivalen in the Svensktoppen book.

So he had a very important role in the pre-ABBA careers of all four members but he rarely seems to get the recognition.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

ABBA'S BIGGEST SECRET: REACTION

Well, it's over now and it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Lots of footage of our fab foursome, particularly in the opening 10 minutes or so, including an excerpt from, I hope I'm remembering this correctly, the Dinah Shore Show, but no singing - Universal declined to allow them to use any ABBA songs or performances thereof in the program.

It also had the most appalling and laughable reconstruction using actors to portray Synni and Alfred out together on secret walks at dusk and fooling around on a frozen lake. The narration tried to make it all as sensationalist as they could, and credited Harry Edgington, who was interviewed to camera, with uncovering the secret that Frida wanted to keep secret.

Overall I felt it was a half-way decent effort to make as serious a documentary as they could, bearing in mind that they were focussing on Frida and ABBA to bring in the viewers. So the constant recourse to Frida as the singing sensation from ABBA, born of a Nazi soldier, or words to that effect, was not surprising.

What was surprising, and only because I didn't know about it, was that Carl Magnus Palm was interviewed to camera for the program, and featured quite heavily in it. For me this gave it more credibility, as he just came across as sounding more authoritative, and was more analytical and was less interested in sensationalising it.

No interview with Frida though, not even an archive interview with her on the subject. You could see where Channel 5 had used excerpts from the other, non-Frida version, of the program, but these bits were kept fairly brief because they related to the German-fathered Norwegian kids in general - and of course, their hideous treatment by the Norwegian government after the war rather than Frida/ABBA, and Channel 5 clearly wanted to keep their program focussed firmly on Frida and ABBA.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Marcus Tustin, London, UK

US COVER OF ANTHEM

I wrote into the list a while back with the news that American songstress Linda Eder had recorded 'Anthem' from CHESS.

I would have probably gotten around to ordering her CD anyway, but with the inclusion of the aforementioned track, I was pretty much looking forward to hearing the new CD as soon as I could.

This was about 4 weeks ago and I have to admit that I certainly don't like Anthem in this guise, or the album as a whole very much although there are a couple of tracks that help save the day.

Anyway, if you would like to hear a 30-second or so clip of 'Anthem' (and 4 others), you can do so at Amazon.com on this link: (You may have to paste it all into your browser)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000088E4T/qid=1048179084/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-9706301-9344032

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dominic 'Ice' Wallis, London, UK

CMP TELLS US ABOUT FRIDA DOCO

This just in from Carl Magnus Palm:

A documentary about the Norwegian Lebensborn, the offspring of liaisons between German soldiers and Norwegian women during World War II, will be broadcast soon in Great Britain and Canada. As one might imagine, Frida is featured in the film, although she hasn't been interviewed for it.

There are two different versions of the documentary. The first version, which is for international distribution, is entitled Norway's Nazi Secret. This will be shown on History Canada on March 17 at 8pm, and on the UK History Channel in April.

The second version is entitled Abba's Biggest Secret. This film, which will be broadcast Thursday March 27 at 9pm on UK Channel 5, contains a lot more material about Frida and less about the individual Lebensborn survivors.

Thanks to CMP and ABBAMAIL's Ian Cole, Sydney Australia

CAST CHANGE FOR AUSSIE MAMMA MIA!

A ess release has been issued announcing that Angela Toohey replaces Rhonda Burchmore in the Sydney production of Mamma Mia!

I saw Angela in Boy From Oz, where she played Liza Minelli. She's a great performer/singer.

She takes over on March 25.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer James O'Brien, Sydney, Australia

FRIDA'S VEGAS QUOTES

Here are the quotes I mentioned yesterday, courtesy of the ABBF Magazine (join the club and get the magazine for the full interview!):

The reunite question:
Frida: "First I must say 'never say never' to anything because I have proved myself wrong in the past. I myself would not be opposed to a reunion, which I have also stated in the past. That decision is not left up to me., so a reunion would most likely not happen. I also feel that we are all older now perhaps too old to do pop."

When asked if there's anything Frida would ask of fans, maybe to help Frida' causes in helping society:
Frida: "What I have to say is very important to me. I sometimes go on to the ABBA website and become very disturbed by the amount of arguing and fighting about Agnetha and I. Things written like 'Frida is better than Agnetha' or 'Agnetha is better than Frida'. Or 'Frida's voice is better than Agnetha's' or 'Agnetha's voice is better than Frida's'. Agnetha and I do not fight, so why do ABBA fans fight about this? I would like to see this negative energy channeled into a loving, peaceful, caring direction for each other and for the environment. The healing that so many ABBA fans say we provide them could be used as a base to promote peace and serenity for
everyone."

A final quote, when asked about what I call "Muriel's syndrome":
Frida: "I cannot tell you how many letters I get from fans who tell me how our music helped them through difficult times in their childhood, or adulthood for that matter. I am grateful to have been part of anyone's healing process or to at least represent a part of this."

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Kevin Fletcher, Birmingham, UK

DUTCH MAMMA MIA! CAST

Just have been reading the names in a Dutch news paper on the casting of Mamma Mia!

The lead role will be played by Simone Kleinsma (Donna)
and her men are: Filip Bolluyt (Bill) - Hajo Bruins (Sam) - Jon Van Eerd (Harry)

Rehearsals begin in June

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jerom Schagen, The Netherlands

SWEDISH EUROVISION ENTRY

Winner of the 2003 years Melodifestivalen are Fame - two white dressed manga-characters from the docusoap Fame Factory and their song "Give me your love". And yes it does sound like ABBA once again. But more Dancing Queen than Waterloo.

A nott unexpected result considering the results of recent tabloid polls.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Linda Granqvist, Stockholm, Sweden

CHARTS - WEEK 11

CDs are down, DVD is up.
Canada: 20th Century Masters is down 5 to #91.
Germany: The Definitive Collection is down 15 to #70.
Australia: The Definitive Collection DVD is up 4 to #2.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Chart-Guru Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

THE BLURB ON ABBA'S BIGGEST SECRET

Here is the preview blurb on next UK Channel 5's documentary 'ABBA's Biggest Secret' from the UK Radio Times:

"You may think that the Swedish super-group's biggest secret was the name of their costume designer, and with good reason - they undoubtedly had the worst clothes of any group in the seventies. However, the secret referred to in the title of this film is that Abba's Frida Lyngstad was the illegitimate child of a German officer conceived during the Second World War.

This was uncovered by journalist Harry Edgington while he was researching an unauthorised biography of the band. He discovered that Frida's mother was actually Norwegian, not Swedish, and her father was Alfred Haase, a young Nazi officer who, Edgington says, was performing his patriotic duty to spread his "good genes" while occupying Norway. It's not a unique story.

As many as 10,000 German/Norwegian babies were born during the occupation as part of the Nazi's plan to replace Europe's "inferior races" with "pure-blooded Aryans". And most of these children were treated appallingly because of their "tainted blood".

It is an interesting, albeit sad, story, and one that has affected many people's lives. It is also one that would probably not get much coverage if it were not for the fame of Frida." Jane Rackham.

On the listings page there is a small medium-shot of Frida singing on the '79 tour. It will be interesting to see how much specific coverage the Frida story gets - an hour of TV is a long time to fill, but they are clearly selling it on her "guarded past".

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Graham Piper, Hove, UK

ABBA BACK IN DUTCH CHARTS!

Finally, after almost 3 years of absence, ABBA are back in the Dutch album charts.

On 11th April 2000 the Dutch-only compilation "25 jaar na Waterloo - deel 2" had its last week in the album top 100 (position 94)

This week "The Definitive Collection" enters the Dutch album top 100 charts at no. 77, the lowest new entry for any ABBA album in the Dutch charts.

The DVD of "The Definitive Collection" entered the Dutch DVD Music Top 30 on 3rd March at no. 26. The week after it climbed up to no. 9 while this week it dropped one place to no. 10.

I've seen the CD"The Definitive Collection" in the shops and I think they're selling the left-overs from other countries like the UK as it says (P) & (C) 2001 on the back of the CD....

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Walter Veldman, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

ABBA'S BIGGEST SECRET - UK DOCUMENTARY

Apparently, Harry Edgington is to be interviewed in Channel 5's forthcoming documentary on Frida to be shown next week as 'the journalist who uncovered the secret about Frida's past'. So, yet another Anglo-centric myth surrounding the ABBA story is to be unleashed upon us.

It will be interesting to see what actual footage of Frida they can come up with to sustain an hour long program on the subject. There is a brief Interview that she did with SVT back in 1996 on the subject, which as far as I know, is her only public pronouncement on the whole affair.

I wonder if they might go back to Ballangen/Narvik itself to explore the whole story. The house that Frida was born in hasn't been occupied for some years now and is apparently under threat of demolition, but it would be interesting to see the whole area nonetheless.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

YET ANOTHER ABBA BOOK

Yes, another one. This time being published in the US.

There is a series of books under the banner 33 1/3. They are publishing books focusing on classic albums. Dusty Springfield's classic "Dusty in Memphis" is being put under the microscope in September.

The series is described as follows:

33 1/3 is a new series of short books about critically acclaimed and much-loved albums of the last 40 years. Focusing on one album rather than an artist's entire output, the books dispense with the standard biographical background that fans know already, and cut to the heart of the music on each album. The authors provide fresh, original perspectives - often through their access to and relationships with the key figures involved in the recording of these albums. By turns obsessive, passionate, creative, and informed, the books in this series demonstrate many different ways of writing about music. (A task which can be, as Elvis Costello famously observed, as tricky as dancing about architecture.) What binds this series together, and what brings it to life, is that all of the authors - musicians, scholars, and writers - are deeply in love with the album they have chosen.

Continuum are publishing "Abba's Abba Gold" sometime in 2004. It is by Elisabeth Vincentelli.

The thing that irks me about this book is that all the other ones in the series concentrate on an original album by that particular artist. There would be lots to say about the recording of the album, choices of songs, etc. "ABBA Gold" is just a compilation thrown together by a record company to cash in (albeit successfully) on a rising interest in ABBA. There was no creative involvement by the artists or anything like that. They should have focused on a classic album like "Arrival". That would have made more sense than a collection of singles.

I have always hated it when people call ABBA a singles band. They were so much more than that. This book will probably help perpetuate that notion unfortunately.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

NEW ABBA BOOK FOR AUSTRALIA

Just heard from the UK distributor about the pending release of "ABBA - Stories Behind Every Song" in Australia....
It will be released early May by Five Mile Press in Melbourne. That's all the information I have at the moment.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Mark Hannam, Sydney, Australia

BENNY GOSS

I received this email from a friend of a friend:

"I just have to tell you that I went to dinner with Benny Andersson this Wednesday. Sounds great doesn't it. No, it wasn't that private. We assistants were invited to take a look at the new hotel at Mariatorget, Rival, where Benny is one of the owners. The hotel is still a big building site so the dinner were at Skansen instead. And, Benny was also there but at the table next to mine, so I cannot boast about that I had him at my left to dinner. There is neither a photo as evidence like you have. Still it was a great evening nice food and entertainment."

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jmes O'Brien, Surry Hills - Sydney - Australia

HELEN HAYES NOMINATIONS FOR MAMMA MIA!

"The US National Tour of MAMMA MIA!, which played the National Theatre, Washington D.C. in 2002 has been nominated for 2 Helen Hayes Awards. [I adored her and Ruth Gordon. I hope I can grow up to be that kind of little old lady.]

The show received nominations for Best Non-resident Production and Best Supporting Performer in a Non-resident Production for Mary Ellen Mahoney, who portrays Tanya on the National Tour.

MAMMA MIA! set a new box office record at the National Theater in Washington DC for the week ending May 5th, 2002. By happy coincidence, the Awards which celebrate the best of Washington, D.C. theatre, will be held on Monday 5 May, 2003 at the Kennedy Centre's Concert Hall."

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jackie Lucero, Castro Valley, California, USA

MAMMA MIA! IN RUSSIA

Paul Carter sent me a link to an article in Svenska Dagbladet about a Russian hockey player's quest to stage "Mamma Mia!" in Moscow. Here's my translation of the article:

Mamma Mia! Igor Larionov!

Los Angeles
Last summer SvD reported about the Russian hockey player Igor Larionov's dream to stage the musical "Mamma Mia!" in Moscow.
-If everything works out, it might happen in 2004, Igor Larionov says.

The 42 year old legend was responsible for an assist when Detroit Red Wings beat Los Angeles Kings by 3-2 Monday. But after the match Igor rather talked about ABBA.

- The story and the music is fantastic. I have liked ABBA since the 70s. To me it's a big dream of mine to give my fellow countrymen the chance to see the show in Moscow.

In August Larionov was the host for Björn Ulvaeus and his manager Thomas Johansson during a couple of days in Moscow.

- Among other things, we arranged a one hour long private viewing of the Kremlin and both of them were very impressed and enjoyed all the history there was to see.

Even though the visit was a secret, Björn and Thomas were met by photographers at the airport.

- About 50 paparazzis were waiting to take their photos, Igor Larionov says laughing. Yes, people still recognize Björn. He is popular.

The negotiations continue, but bearing in mind the musical's global success, it's likely that Russia will also see the show. "Mamma Mia!" began playing two weeks ago at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

By Keijo Liimatainen

Thanks to ABBAMAILers Claes Davidsson, Orlando, Florida, USA and Paul Carter, London, UK

CHARTS WEEK 10

Canada: 20th Century Masters is down 5 to #86.
Germany: The Definitive Collection is down 9 to #55.
Australia: The Definitive Collection is up 4 to #6.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, New Zealand

CHESS IS EVERYWHERE!

A quick net-search reveals if you wanted to, you could spend a lot of time, over the next few months, visiting various productions of "Chess".

1/...Stockholm, Sweden
Performance Dates: February 23 - June 15, 2002
Theatre: Circus Theatre

2/...Chess the musical
at Whitley Bay Playhouse 3rd ­ 8th March 2003
Tynemouth Amateur Operatic Society

3/...Stockport, Cheshire
Performance Dates: March 2003
Theatre: Stockport Plaza Theatre
Production Company: Romiley Operatic Society

4/...Aldershot, Hampshire
Performance Dates: March 24 through 29, 2003
Theatre: The Princes Hall
Production Company: Cody Farnborough Amateur Operatic Society
http://www.dfaos.co.uk/latest_production.htm

5/...Laycock Street Theatre
Wyoming (Australia) - May 21st - June 1st 2003
http://www.eclectic.asn.au/chess/chess_index.html

6/...Canberra - Australia
Chess the Musical
Production Dates 19 June - 5 July 2003
For audition times contact Rod 6278 5603
or email: Rod_Beaver@bigpond.com
http://offprompt.stagecraft.cx/index.php

7/..LAUNCESTON COLLEGE proudly presents......... (June 28-July 1, 2003)
http://studentnet.launc.tased.edu.au/events/chess/chess.htm

8/...Canton, Ohio
Performance Dates: May 2 and 3, 2003
Theatre: Central Catholic High School Gymnasium
http://www.geocities.com/ky_guy_4/chess/chessproductionsmain.htm

Thanks to ABBAMAILer James O'Brien, Sydney - Australia

NANNE'S NEW SINGLE - TRACKLISTING

Here is the tracklisting for the new Nanne single which came out this week.

1. Evig kärlek (Radio Mix)
2. Evig kärlek (Two Guys And A Rat Radio Version)
3. Evig kärlek (Two Guys And A Rat Klubb Version)
4. Evig kärlek (Astralmix)
5. Evig kärlek (Two Guys And A Rat Klubb Instrumental)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

ANOTHER NEW ABBA SHOW

I was just reading yesterday's newspaper when I came upon four familiar letters in the local part of the paper. "ABBA-Hits and Disco dancing: Musical *Dancing Queen* will perform in the Ems-Halle".

I don't have much time to do an accurate translation but I'll paraphrase the article, written by Michael Böhm for the "Emsdettener Volkszeitung"

The show is to premiere on the 20th of March, it doesn't say where though.

It will come to Emsdetten on the 11th of Mai. Tickets cost between 49,90 Euros - 29,90 Euros.

The article says that it is a "musical biography" of ABBA, so a different concept from Mamma Mia!

The article goes on to give those wanting to go to the show some tips about what to wear (flairs, platform shoes and glitter) because dancing and singing along are a must if one attends this show and what fits better than 70s outfits!

TV presenter Matthias Sievert (WHO?) will lead the audience on a journey through the history of ABBA, one of the most legendary pop groups of all times.

The musical biography will include hits like Waterloo, SOS, Fernando, and of course Dancing Queen. The songs will be sung and played by a live band, which will be wearing authentic costumes and will be accompanied by a stage show of glitter and glamour, that will let the 70s live again.

If one is inspired by Agnetha, Frieda (sic), Björn and Benny to dance along but one has not yet perfected the "disco step" (whatever that might be- Samia's note), one can copy some dance steps from the international dancers that accompany the ABBA-Revivals.

"ABBA" is made up of 4 experienced musicians. Sammy Wilson is Frieda. She has taken part in more than 800 performances and accompanied Guildo Horn (Germany's representative in the 1998 ESC - Samia's note), Lionel Ritchie and Pur (a German rock band - Samia's note)

Agnetha is played by Claire Lawrence, a singing teacher, who has performed ABBA songs in more than 400 performances.

Peter Sparks is Björn, a musician with a music degree and an expert in sound design. Benny is represented by Patrick Williams, who will be playing the guitar (Very accurate!) His musical experience includes playing for Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) and Dickie Peterson (Blue Cheers)

For the visual glamour the show will be accompanied by dancers of the Kazina Show company. All dancers participating in this musical are part of the Kazina Show Company which twice won the European Championships and twice the World Cup in show dancing.

That's more or less the article. It seems like a mix between Mamma Mia! and Björn Again. I will most probably not be able to go, even though it is just a few minutes away from my front door. But maybe someone else will be able to attend it, it seems to be touring all over Germany, and will let us know if the concept of an ABBA Biography works.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Samia Jalal, Emsdetten, Germany

FRIDA ON UK TV

I just read from a contributor to ABBA LIST that on Thursday 27th March at 8.00pm, Channel 5 in the UK is broadcasting a one hour program called ABBA'S BIGGEST SECRET and, upon checking Channel 5's web-site, this is what the write-up says:-

Documentary on the dark secret held by Frida Lyngstad, singer with Swedish pop superstars Abba. She was the illegitimate child of a Nazi officer and was in fact Norwegian. Hitler encouraged his soldiers to father as many children as possible with Norwegian women - he considered them racially pure - and Frida was the result of one such affair.

God knows what it will be like because Channel 5 does not usually carry high-brow programming, but it should be interesting at least.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Marcus Tustin, London, England

SWEDISH CHESS GUDMASKEN AWARDS - WHY THE WINNERS WON!

Chess - Guldmasken motivations:

Costume Winner: INGER ELVIRA PEHRSSON
Motivation:
The thing considered the simplest is often the hardest. In an fantastic way the clothes have strengthened the characters in this play. A clothesmaker with an impressive record, her work in Chess has even contributed to the identification of the actors.

Scenography
Winner: ROBIN WAGNER
Motivation:
To create a scene image that's functional, imaginative - yes, perfect - requires a virtous, a king of decors. In harmony with the music and text, he offers the actors an extremely playable (chess)board.

Choreography
Winners: PETTER JACOBSSON / THOMAS CALEY
Motivation:
For choreography that weaves the storytelling, the music and the play together. With a steady and inspired method, Petter Jacobsson and Thomas Caley contribute to making Chess a wonderful experience.

Female main character in musical
Winner: HELEN SJÖHOLM
Motivation:
Why make it difficult, she's so natural. A wonderful voice, charisma, artistical talent and warmth. A stage presence that touches us in a way only a big artist can.

Male main character in musical
Winner: TOMMY KÖRBERG
Motivation:
He takes Swedish musical to new melodical heigths. Often controversial, but never questionned. Tommy Körber wins checkmate.

BENNY ANDERSSON & BJÖRN ULVAEUS
Motivation:
Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson have, with their talented, unique combination of text and music, achieved major successes with the phenomenon ABBA in the 70s - both in Sweden and throughout the world.
They did not settle down after that, but kept on in their own way and with their own style, as succesful producers for the stage, both in Sweden and abroad. In the 21st century, Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, Mamma Mia! keep entertaining and pleasing a huge audience the world over - and not in the least in Sweden.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

MAMMA MIA! STRIKE

Aftonbladet on Mamma Mia Strike:

NEW YORK. Björn and Benny's musical Mamma Mia! is on strike - as well as almost all other musicals on Broadway. The negotiations broke down yesterday and the musicians went on strike. The fight is about musicals wanting to use pre-recorded music.
The 652 actors support the musicians strike.

- A machine is a dead thing - and that's not why people go to the theatre, say the star Harvey Fierstien.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

AGNETHA BI-ANNUAL REPORT ;-)

This is from Se & Hör:

Mystical Agnetha working on her record

A safe sign, says her friends.

Agnetha Fältskog, 52 years old, has been seen taking long walk alone in the royal park on Lovön outside Stockholm. This is said to mean that she writes texts and compes songs to the record she has been working on a few years now. As much as 18 melodies is said to be ready, and is now being shaped up in the studio. But Agnetha is obviously not really satisfied with the result. Her best ideas she has got on Drottningholm. She wanders there alone, humming, singing and testing things. The world outside she has completely forgotten.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Adersson, Stockholm, Sweden

FRIDA IN SVENSK DAMTIDNING

This article was recently published in the Swedish magazine 'Svensk Damtidning', together with a picture of Frida, Henriette and Pauline at the Mamma Mia! premiere in Las Vegas.

---------

She appeared beautiful and fresh at the Mamma Mia! premiere.

Frida continues to have close contact with her twin stepdaughters.

Blonde as ever and as cute as a young girl, ABBA-Frida came to the premiere of opening of Mamma Mia! in Las Vegas. She was there with her two stepdaughters Henriette and Pauline, who are both 26 years old.

'It feels great to be here and hear others perform all the hit songs that I sung myself', said Frida.

She was quietly humming along to the old songs during the performance. Frida, 57, and both her stepdaughters have continued to be in close contact ever since the family's father Prince Ruzzo Reuss passed away over three years ago.

Frida is always on the move. She sits as a member of many boards and is engaged in working both for the environmental and for disadvantaged children. For most of the time, she lives in her chalet which looks up towards the mountains in Zermatt, Switzerland. She loves to hike in the mountains and often does this with Henriette and Pauline. The house in Fribourg in which she lived with Ruzzo has now been sold. In the summer Frida goes to the Reuss family farm in Hillerstad in Glumslöv. She still owns two properties close to the Santa Ponca's golf club in Mallorca. She and Prince Ruzzo had planned to construct houses there. But his death and
her sorrow meant that nothing came of these plans.

Few people have gone through so much hardship in life as Frida. Her daughter Lise-Lotte died in a car crash accident only a year before Ruzzo passed away. Today Frida has worked through her sorrow and has come through to the other side, says a friend of the former ABBA-star. 'There are not many people who are as strong as her, who can overcome these kind of setbacks in life'.

written by Chris Cederlöf

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

USA VERSION OF NAME OF THE GAME BUDGET CD

It's the American version of the recent budget release "The Name Of The Game". The same tracklisting but with a new name: On and On and only available in the USA.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

NEW ABBA BOOK REVIEWED

The March 2003 edition of the UK's GAY TIMES has the first review of the new book that I've seen. It's pretty brief but reads as follows:-

Robert Scott's Thank You For The Music: The Stories Behind Every Song is a light-hearted, lightweight look at Abba's entire oeuvre. ut admirers of Benny and Bjorn be warned - he thinks a lot of their songs are rubbish. published by Carlton Books, £16.99

So I guess it's out here, or is imminent at least.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Marcus Tustin, London, UK

ABBA IN Q MAGAZINE

ABBA are featuring in a special edition of Q magazine titled ‘100 songs that changed the world’, with Waterloo at no.86.
Here’s a transcription of the article but please note that the comments and "facts" of this article are 95% incorrect.

Waterloo: ABBA
The case for: it gave birth to modern Euro-pop

Brighton, England, 1974. Having secured the Swedish nomination for the Eurovision Song Contest at the second attempt. ABBA were determined to make an impact. Dressed to impress in sparkling sequined suits and totteringly high platform boots, the quartet pushed their two stunning female singers up front: Anni-Frid Lyngstad-Fredriksson looking appropriately imperious; the younger Agnetha Faltskog’s figure-hugging blue satin preying on the British male’s weakness for milk-fed blondes. And then there was the song. A throwaway lyric using Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo by Wellington as an analogy for warring lovers. It wouldn’t trouble historians unduly were it not wedded to a masterpiece of musical songcraft.

Drawing on The Beatles (those woah woah woah woahs), Elton John (Benny Andersson’s sparkling keyboards and glam rock (the poundingly pneumatic rhythm), the song also boasted approximately three choruses more than the average pop hit. As such it knocked the competition into a cocked hat - not unlike the Napoleonic tricorn worn by the orchestra's conductor during that evening's performance. Eurovision success didn't always guarantee a subsequent hit single, but Waterloo immediately raced up the British charts.

A Swedish supergroup of sorts, ABBA had existed in some form or another for eight years before Waterloo. Already successful musicians in Sweden's Hootenanny Singers and the Hep Stars respectively. Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson formed a writing partnership in 1966. Becoming involved with successful singers Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngsatd in 1969, the four of them had a loose working arrangement for several years, finally scoring a hit in 1972 with People Need Love as Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida. Note whose names came first: at this stage the girls' role was still considered to be secondary. The winning ABBA formula only began to take shape when they shifted the visual and vocal emphasis to their female singers and changed that terrible name, albeit to a acronym they shared with a Swedish canned fish company.

While the new approach was still taking shape on the album of the same name (there was still too much of the blokes), the song Waterloo was a watershed, and became the template for almost all future ABBA releases. The band went on to produce a run of 18 top 10 UK hits in eight years, including nine number 1s. They also managed a number 1, three top 10s and six top 20s in the USA. Let's not even get to Australia, where ABBA became something of a national cultural obsession (see the movie Muriel's Wedding and the tribute band Björn Again).

A less celebrated fact is that Waterloo also provided the template for Europop - the unlovely likes of Ace of Base, Roxette and Bananarama. The formula? Take several blondes belting out the same tune, rely heavily on the present continuous ('the history book on the shelf is always repeating itself') and hammer it in a hook which even someone afflicted with attention deficit disorder can recall. 'When we were writing, we thought they were pop songs' said Björn Ulvaeus recently. 'Something for the day, possibly for the month or something like that. I never thought they'd last'.

Indeed for a moment, it looked as if ABBA wouldn't last, with their next two singles failing to chart convincingly. Had Waterloo won the battle but lost the war? It took the band 18 months to consolidate it success with - appositely enough - SOS. After that, however, world domination was easy, even if the two relationship proved to be less resiliant than their combined acronym. As such, that throwaway Waterloo lyric of warring lovers has acquired a rueful retrospective irony.

written by Toby Manning

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

DEFINITIVE COLLECTION DVD MAKES "DESERT ISLAND DISCS" LIST

The following article appeared on Page 10 of "The Guide" in today's Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. The Definitive Collection made the list of 20 must-have DVDs.

ABBA: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION DVD
Universal, 168 mins, E, music
The perfect party disc, including 30 original ABBA video clips in Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, many of which were made by award-winning Swedish filmmaker Lasse Hallstrom. In addition to the 30 "official" videos, you get five bonus clips: a video for When I Kissed the Teacher shot for television, a performance of Dancing Queen at the Royal Swedish Opera, and three clips which are performed in Spanish.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Harold Hanlon, Sydney, Australia

CHARTS - WEEK 9

Not much different this week, still the same three countries.
Germany: (wk8) The Definitive Collection is down 4 to #46.
Canada: 20th Century Masters is up 18 to #81.
Australia: The Definitive collection DVD is stable at #10.

Thanks to Chartist-Tartist, ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, New Zealand

ABBA-RELATED

** Nanne

Unfortunate that ‘Evig kärlek’ didn’t make it beyond the first round of Melodifestivalen. It should be released on the compilation CD ‘Melodifestivalen 2003’ on 14 March. Aftonbladet had a recent article about Nanne at www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,269950,00.html. Nanne also featured in the Swedish ‘Schlager 2003’ magazine (thanks to Tony Becker for sending me this!).

** Maria Rådsten

Got a copy of Maria’s first single, ‘Head Over Heels’, which finally we have after 2 years of waiting! The song was produced by Tommy Lydell, with backing vocals courtesy of Nanne and these produced by Peter Grönvall. Although the new backing track is more guitar-based than the previous one, I think I prefer the original One More Time-inspired backing track that we heard performed at Roosendaal in 2001. Still, I can’t wait for the album :-)


** Anders Glenmark

Anders Glenmark is back as part of the group Glenmark ­ Eriksson ­Strömstedt (GES) who last recorded together in 1994/1995. They’ll be releasing a new single on 31 March titled ‘Den andra kvinnan’ and then a new album titled ‘Den andra skivan’ (The Second Album) on 17 April. They might also be doing a tour of Sweden in the summer. Most of the new material on the album has been written by Anders and Niklas Strömstedt. They will be performing their new single on stage for the first time at Melodifestivalen’s final at Globen on 15 March (article at www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,266120,00.html)


** Eva Dahlgren

Eva Dahlgren’s new group, Buddaboys will be released their album ‘Lost People’s Area’ on 7 April, preceded by a single, ‘Do Me’ on 10 March. They’ve also been doing some TV promotion lately in Scandinavia.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

MAMMA MIA! IN PHILDELPHIA

Mamma Mia! is coming to the Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA, starting May 1. The run is scheduled to continue until June 15. If ticket sales are brisk, it will run beyond that date, according to group sales.

Orch/Mezz tickets are US$78; discounted to US$70.20 if bought in groups of 20 or more. Balcony A-H is $68 (61.20 discounted); Balcony J-M $50 ($45); and Balcony N-P $30 ($27).

I spoke with the group sales person today who explained the method for procuring a group block. It takes about 10 days. The musical runs Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7:30 p.m. and matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. The discount does not apply on Friday and Saturday evenings.

I believe this is the second time Mamma Mia! has played in Philadelphia. Does that make this a first?

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ron Miskoff, Edison USA

CHESS GULDMASKEN TRIUMPH

Expressen reports that Monday evening, Guldmasken was handed out in Stockholm and "Chess" was the winner in 5 categories. Guldmasken is an award for privately owned theatres. "Chess" won in the following categories:

Leading role, male, musical: Tommy Körberg, Chess, Stockholm
Leading role, female, musical: Helen Sjöholm, Chess, Stockholm
Choreography: Petter Jacobsson/Thomas Caley, Chess, Stockholm
Stage design: Robin Wagner, Chess, Stockholm
Costume: Inger Elvira Pehrsson, Chess, Stockholm

Björn and Benny was also awarded "Privatteaterchefernas pris" (The privately owned theatres directors prize) for their contribution to musicals both in Sweden and internationally.

No word if Björn and Benny attended the ceremony.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Claes Davidsson, Orlando, Florida, USA

CHARTS WEEK 8

Just the same three to report at this moment in time.
Canada: 20th Century Masters in down 34 to #99.
Germany: The Definitive Collection is down 8 to #42.
Australia: The Definitive Collection DVD is up 4 to #10.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, New Zealand

AGNETHA & CHRISTIAN RE-RELEASE

Artists: Agnetha Fältskog and Christian Ulvaeus Title: Guldkorn

This CD contains all tracks from the "Kom följ med i vår karusell", but that CD has been out of print for long. It will be released on Metronome WMS-5050466-391223
01: Karusellvisan
02: Våra Valpar
03: Mitt Namn Är Blom
04: Vattenvisan
05: Maskeradbalen
06: Pelle Jöns
07: Tre Vita Råttor
08: Önskevisan
09: På Söndag
10: Smurferifabriken
11: Min Ponny
12: Nico Tico Tim
13: Jag Vill Va' Som Du
14: Jag Är Kung
15: Alla Färger
16: Liten Och Trött

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

NEW FRENCH BUDGET RE-RELEASE

Polydor France has re-released a budget-compilation CD as a part of their "Master Series". These are the tracks:

1. Thank You For The Music
2. The Winner Takes It All
3. Fernando
4. One Of Us
5. Angel Eyes
6. The Day Before You Came
7. Eagle
8. So Long
9. Why Did It Have To Be Me
10. Ring, Ring
11. The Way Old Friends Do
12. Slipping Through My Fingers
13. Hasta Manana
14. Our Last Summer
15. My Love, My Life
16. If It Wasn't For The Nights
17. People Need Love
18. Andante, Andante

(Look at the awful logo - it's just getting worse!!)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

GEMINI RE-RELEASES

The original albums recorded by the Swedish duo Gemini in the 1980s will be re-released later this year. The duo - brother and sister Anders and Karin Glenmark - recorded two albums: Gemini, originally issued in 1985, and the 1987 release Geminism. Both albums were co-produced by Anders along with Björn and Benny, who also wrote most of the songs.

Gemini, who primarily recorded in English, released a number of tracks that were never included on their original albums. These are being considered for possible inclusion as bonus tracks on the CDs.

More detailed information will follow when the release date and final track listing have been confirmed.

From www.abbasite.com
Thanks to ABBAMAILer Chris Williams, UK

I REMEMBER 'MAMMA'

From Newsday
BYLINE: Liz Smith

Dear Boss,

I bet you thought the blizzard kept me out of the office last week. No, I was in Las Vegas, where, unbelievably, it was pouring on all those fake trees planted among the real ones. Not too many things are real in Las Vegas. "It's not fake anything, it's real celluloid," to paraphrase your pal, Peter Rogers.

Why would I go to Las Vegas 52 years after my first trip? (Back then, "there was no there, there," to quote Gertrude Stein.) Well, my
favourite musical, "Mamma Mia!," opened at the Mandalay Bay Hotel's lovely legit theatre. I've seen quite a few productions of this
irresistible ABBA musical, so couldn't resist the invite from that charmer, producer Judy Craymer, to see "Mamma" in the desert.

They literally rolled out a red carpet, and among the celebs, I recognised Robin Leach and Siegfried & Roy, who, of course, brought a
life-size replica of a white tiger to the festivities. Later, in the House of Blues, I met Benny Andersson, one of the As of ABBA, whose 22 songs make up the score for this fun and fabulous musical. Oh, but those Dancing Queens in the show's finale are never out of style or place.

We had a grand time. Miss Judy told me that Paul McCartney and wife, Heather, were attending the show in London's West End as we spoke. "Mamma Mia!" sold out that weekend, both in Vegas and in snowbound Gotham, and most likely around the world.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Patrick Blake, Queensland, Australia

ABBA THINK SIMONE IS A DANCING QUEEN

Source De Telegraaf - Friday 7 February 2003

All Donnas at Waterloo Day

If everything is ok, Simone Kleinsma will be playing an early premiere as the leading role in Mamma Mia!.

She has been invited by Operettenhaus in Hamburg to play Donna. Theatre director Patrick Gott: "We have a Waterloo Day and we will invite all Donnas from all countries where Mamma Mia! is on. There’ll be an Australia Donna, next to a Japanese, German and a Dutch Donna. That will be marvellous and a homage to the band, which are same as The Beatles and made timeless music".

Simone react enthusiasticly. It’s a logical thing because our national musical star also has fans in Germany. The German Donna, Carolin Fortenbacher, asked a signature from Simone in the dressing room on the CD of Chicago. Simone played the leading role there before.

Comedienne gets the leading role in Mamma Mia!

Simone Kleinsma will be the new leading lady Donna in the ABBA hit musical Mamma Mia!, which Joop van den Ende will produce from 28 September in The Netherlands. Björn and Benny, the two ABBA-boys, will escort the production and are the last ones who make the decisions for the leading roles. Simone was the first one who got a leading role. Björn: "She's the right woman we are looking for, she combines sparkling humour with power, she can dance and has a splendid voice. This is THE leading lady Donna, the woman who not know from which of her three ex-husbands she got a daughter from. Simone is a born comedienne. She will be very reliable in her act".

Successful musical premiere in Utrecht from September.

Mamma Mia! is the musical that ABBA wrote, without knowing they wrote it. Björn: "It is a love story where all our hits will fit. It is a miracle, but true."

Simone flew last weekend to Hamburg with her husband, TV and film director Guus Verstraete, to see the German Mamma Mia!. They are swinging between the seats of the Operettenhaus with an enthusiasm you can read on her face. "Chiquitita, tell me what’s wrong.", Simone sings. It doesn't matter that German Donna sing her texts in German. Later on Simone will sing it in Dutch. It is clear the success of the songs in the translation only increases more and more.

Mamma Mia! is a mega success even in Japan. "The only difference with the German production is they party after the show" theatre director Patrick Gott tells. "This is just a culture difference. Here we party during the show. And you saw it , it is a party."

Standing ovations.

Simone Kleinsma has already begun her role in Mamma Mia! In the city which is already ABBA-ish for months. On taxis there are signs, gigantic billboards, flags, buses, an the airport, in the music stores, everywhere is Mamma Mia! In the Operettenhaus every evening the roof explodes. And German audiences do not often give standing ovations.

Tickets for the German musical are on sale for the October series. Everything is sold out till then. The Danish queen, who booked anonymous tickets via the ticket-telephone line, ends up via the ambassador from the theatre to get tickets. She doesn’t want to wait that long. She got 6 seats that are usually are reserved for the theatre directors. Minutes before the start she came in. She whispered to Patrick Gott, she really wanted to stand in line in front of the theatre. Simone says the auditions has some problems. "I’ve been working on this musical for a year already, but it is very difficult for me to keep my mouth shut. Joop van den Ende is very perfect in shows, but don't forget Benny and Björn they are much more. At last I had to sing "Mamma Mia!" and "The Winner Takes It All". Björn raised his hand. And that means: you get the leading role."

"Björn will be there in March, I think, when he have to search for the other leading roles. The big question is who gets the role of the daughter, Sophie? The story takes place in the days before her wedding. And who will be her 3 ex-husbands? All these persons are invited to her wedding, because she wants to know who her real father is. Sophie wants her real Dad to leade her to the altar." Simone said.

In the swinging hit musical there will be 22 ABBA songs. From Money, Money, Money to Dancing Queen, from Super Trouper to The Winner Takes It All. Simone: "In the story the young Donna had a music group with her two best friends Tanya and Rose. They also are on the Greek Island, where the story takes place, there will be a sort of reunion with that group, with some super ABBA-like costumes."

When the finale takes part the audience are wild and they are dancing.

Joop van den Ende, general director and Erwin van Lambaart: "The Beatrix theatre in Utrecht will be redecorated for Mamma Mia!. On Fridays and Saturdays there will be an ABBA disco after the show. We did that already with the Saturday Night Fever musical. And we will continue that concept".

Simone's husband Guus Verstreate hugs Simone. "I like the disco outfit, but what I’d like to see more of is you wearing that jeans costume, as Donna wears in the first scenes. That reminds me of our honeymoon 8 years ago. At one point she was bitten by a wasp, somewhere just above her right breast. I parked the car and began to suck. A Greek man, was knocking on the window and said “Do you want a hotel?” He probably thought we were some stupid people doing it in the car. That memory gives me a very good feeling about this musical"

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Pieter Wever Amersfoort, The Netherlands

NO THANKS FOR THE MUSIC ;-)

Yesterday I read in the newspaper, that 10 of the first round losers of the "Dutch Idols" TV show, have recorded a single and a video. They will perform this on the final show of the series on March 8.

And the song is...................Thank You For The Music.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Monique Hoevens, Tilburg, the Netherlands.

HANS HITS 40!

26 January saw the first of the 'ABBA children' reach 40, when Hans Fredriksson celebrated his birthday.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK