ABBAMAILer Linda Granqvist was there on Saturday night - here is her story...
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Mamma Mia in Stockholm
Yes, she was there! I guess you all know who I mean, but if we happen to have a new lurker from the planet Vulcan on board, I'll say it again:
Agnetha was there!
To take it all from the start – I was my usual cynical self, not expecting anything more than the usual beards when I went to the Cirkus theatre together with Anita and Peter. We arrived around a quarter to five and there was already a huge crowd in front of the red carpet. Fans as well as journalists and curious onlookers. And a UK TV team! There were people who had waited there in the cold weather for hours. At least you couldn't refer to them as *sweaty* and obsessed I guess.
We spotted some familiar faces of other fans, and chatted a bit, I learned that Benny was already inside the building for instance. Then everybody was going Björn, Björn, Björn, and me, being vertically challenged, saw nothing. Oh – never mind, I spotted Frida instead who was writing some autographs! Too bad I hadn't had the chance to put new batteries in my camera, so no pic of the Princess. Anyhow – I do have my memory. Then Frida went down the red carpet, and of course she created tons of more hubbub than the B.
Then it calmed down a bit, some minor Swedish celebs arrived, like the model Emma Sjöberg, the event arranger Micael Bindefeldt, the writer Alexander Skanze and some Olympic athletes.
Then we heard the guards starting to buzz about something and of course it triggered some interest. Meanwhile I had managed to get a relatively good position. And I heard someone scream "Victoria!" Oh – It's the Crown Princess arriving, I thought. Interesting of course, but what to come was even better.
It was Agnetha! Like – UNBELIEVABLE! So I was glad I had held that position. Camera up, and first I thought I was getting lucky, had a rather good view. But the moment I squeezed the trigger some CUNT pushed me from the side and the picture became all blurry. And then the moment was gone. She turned and waved but I hadn't any reasonable angle. But – anyhow – as well as with Frida, I have the memory!
Then there were a few more minor celebs arriving, but I couldn't care less. But I did spot Karin and Anders Glenmark. And inside I got a picture of the singer Eva Dahlgren and her wife the designer Efva Attling. But most of the things I could talk with other fans about was that all four were in the building and about the expectations that naturally were triggering.
When handing in my coat I told my friend Anders that if all four are gonna go on stage I am sure gonna pee in my panties! The same talk went on while entering the audience's area and finding my seat. An excellent one in row four and quite in the middle. Talked with ABBAMAILer Sara Russell amongst others on the way in. And then, after taking my seat and chatting a bit with ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson and Christer we spotted Frida and, later on, Agnetha. Too bad they were both too far from my camera. But Robin got amazing pictures!
And what was I expecting of the show then?
Certainly some nice entertainment, because that's what Mamma Mia! is about. It's not dramatic as Krstina från Duvemåla or romantic like Chess, it's more about singing and dancing and ABBA's music in a new surrounding. I was mostly excited about hearing the songs in my own language. How they would work, how they would fit in with the story line and so on.
I haven't bothered that much with Mamma Mia! before, I've seen it once in London and that's it. Not loving it like some, neither hating it like others. A nice experience, a great way to spend an evening, but nothing more. In line with a preselection of the ESC, you see it once and that's fine. But of course I wanted to enjoy it in my own language! That felt new and refreshing.
And what did I get?
A great cast. Mostly young and unknown stars, not the celebs like Helen Sjöholm, Tommy Körberg and their likes. And I loved that! Loved so see new faces and energetic new people who could be Mamma Mia! persons in my eyes. And not has-been Kristinas or has-been Chessies ;-)
Gunilla Backman was doing a great Donna and her interactions with Nina Lundseie's Sofie and Reuben Backmann's Sam were great, even though being a bit too over-dramatic sometimes. And the dance acts were sparkling. Ex-One More Time singer Therese Löf was in the ensemble too. A nice surprise.
The ensemble were exchanging a lot of positive energy with the audience, and it was amazing to be up close and even able to get eye contact sometimes. Except for a few premiere lapses like drops in the vocal sound, and a spotlight going slightly in the wrong direction once, everything went flawlessly. This show is gonna be great and I really hope it's gonna run for a long time!
Working song lyrics.
The translator Niclas Strömstedt has done an excellent job, I must give him five stars in the book (As well as being the only one really available for autographs). He has made lyrics that both fit well into the story line and as stand alone songs. And I bet that's not an easy job.
Some songs have kept their international titles, like SOS, Super Trouper, Chiquitita.
But most of them had Swedish titles:
* En av oss (One of us) – literal translation of the title
* Ge mig Ge mig Ge mig! (GGG – literal transl.)
* Han är Han är (He is He is = Honey Honey)
* I tryggt förvar hos mig (Safely kept with me = Lay all your love on me)
* Jag har en dröm (I have a dream – literal transl.)
* Jag vill Jag vill Jag vill Jag vill Jag vill (I want * 5 = I do * 5)
* Jag är jag, du är du (I am I, you are you = Knowing me Knowing you)
* Kan man ha en solkatt i en bur (Can you keep a sun reflection caged? = Slipping through my fingers)
* Sista sommar'n (Last summer = Our last summer)
* Säg OK eller nej (Say OK or no = The name of the game)
* Tack för alla sånger (Thanks for all the songs = Thank you for the music)
* Tänk, det känns som vi (Imagine, it feels like us = Take a chance on me)
* Vinnaren tar allt (The winner takes it all – literal transl)
* Väntar inte mamma på dig (Isn't your mother waiting for you – Does your mother know)
And thus – great new versions of these well known songs. I really hope to get the chance to dance to at least one or two of them at the ABBF Day in Roosendaal!
A great and glittery stage show of a kind you seldom get here in Sweden, except for in the "musical light/Cabaret" genre termed Krogshow.
Some teary eyes, shivers and most of all laughter.
And what changes had been made?
Well, the early information leaking out was that there were going to be a lot of changes. For instance the Greek Island was going to be turned in to the Swedish island Gotland, and there were also talk about dropping a few songs and adding others. Ring Ring was mentioned among the new ones. And Donna was once supposed to be renamed into Hanna or Anna (and she was still Anna in some places in the printed ensemble information).
But in the end the Greek island remained Greek, the songs were the same and Donna was still Donna. Guess they couldn't come up with a new name for the Dynamos. (That works so well with Donna) OK, they could have made her into Dana, that's a bit more common in Swedish, but at the same time – why bother? Donna works fine.
They had changed some minor parts, like names on places and people. Bill the writer had become Terje for instance, and was Norwegian. That was cool! And was Harry gay in the other stagings? I don't remember him being that in England for instance, but here he was referring once to his partner Rolf.
After the show the ensemble was on stage again and did Waterloo in Swedish and then there were flowers delivered and the Bs on stage. But that was very, very brief, and those who had expected the As too were disappointed of course. There weren't even a second curtain call! Kinda surprising! I could hear some grumbling about it when exiting the theatre, but I didn't really care. I had a great night and a great show, that was what mattered.
Then someone (Believe it was ABBAMAILer Sandra K or Ice) made the point that if Agnetha & Anni-Frid had come on stage too, they would have taken away all the attention from the real stars of the night – the Mamma Mia! actors!
We went spying for photo and autograph opportunities, but these did not happen, and soon we were on the bus for the after-drinkies at Gökboet (same place as the after event on the Chess premiere 3 years ago).
And all in all – I got a great show and had a fab night and was more than pleased. And photos will be coming to a website near you soon.
