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From ABBAMAILer Peg Hughes Chicago, IL USA

It doesn't look like any ABBA-folk went along but Björn and Benny sent flowers to congratulate Peter Jöback - as did Marie Fredriksson

Aftonbladet reviewed the show giving it 3 pluses. I don't know out of how many since the review seems a little unkind, comparing Peter and his romantic love interest to Ken and Barbie playing Romeo and Juliet! I won't rush to translate this one for the list. They did like Peter's big number "Dance With The Devil" which they say is one of the best numbers as well as "Something". They have a picture of Peter flashing some skin if you're interested in that sort of thing. There is also a picture of Peter with the flowers that B&B sent.

http://www.aftonbladet.se/noje/0007/19/joback.html

Expressen had an article and a review giving it 3 bees. Their review is a little kinder and they talk about the standing ovations. They mention "Dance With The Devil" as being the audience favourite. They also have a pic.

http://expressen.se/article.asp?id=38002

http://expressen.se/article.asp?id=38001

It's all happening for Peter at the moment. A new look official web site is about to be launched at www.peterjoback.com. I have just had a look and they already have a preliminary page up. There is a page about Witches and you can register as a member so as to take part in the forum.  You can still go to the old site.

When the site is launched, the news about the single "Higher" coming out on 7 August will be announced.

Grant Whittingham, ABBAMAIL, Stockholm, Sweden

Moving on, in this week's VARIETY, it is reported that "Toronto continued its notable streak of high returns. Both "Lion King" and "Mamma Mia!" were a hairs's breadth away from selling out. "Lion King" roared in with $913,108 (out of a potential $913,679) and "Mamma Mia!" (in its 9th week) followed suit, pulling in $541,018 out of a potential $541,055."

Those figures are all US$, not Canadian, by the way. Incidentally, the reason that "Lion King" is grossing much higher than "Mamma Mia!" is doubtless more because the Princess of Wales Theatre where it is playing has 1,986 seats, whereas the Royal Alexandra Theatre where "Mamma Mia!" is playing has just 1,446 seats!

From ABBAMAILer Marcus Tustin London, England

A spoof of the box-office hit film The Blair Witch Project will be made for TV2 by two students. The spoof will feature characters searching for a member of the Swedish pop group Abba. The Agnetha Faltskog Project will be produced by Wellington College student Milan Magan and Victoria University student James Cleave. They, along with 11 other young people, won places in a TV2 search for young potential programme makers. The two will get $2000 to make the programme, to be shown on TV2. Makers of the best programmes would get a further $5000 each and either become TV industry interns or take a $5000 study grant.

From ABBAMAILer Yon Krick, Hinsdale, IL, USA

It is due to open at The Princess Theatre around March/April 2001, with tickets going on sale just prior to Christmas.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Stephen Duke, Melbourne, Australia

From ABBAMAILer Neil Barber, Singapore

ABBA - THE BOOK by Jean Marie Potiez is being published in September by Aurum Press. It will be distributed in Australia by Lothian Books

 

Y-ABBA Dabba Don't

That '70s show Mamma Mia dumbs down the music of pop music legends

"I Have a Dream" that one day I'll be the Hedda Hopper of the 21st century. But ABBA band member Bjorn Ulvaeus is already living his dream. While walking around London's West End theatre district with his wife and two daughters one summer's eve, it hit him like a giant platform shoe: "The idea for Mamma Mia was really a childish one," says Ulvaeus. "I said to myself: 'Why don't I have a show here; other people have shows here. I should have one, too.'

"We saw Grease that night and I saw the potential for a lighthearted musical comedy based on our hits. I had my doubts, but the songs were still out there 20 years after, besides integrating the lyrics with an original story hadn't been done before." Perhaps for good reason, but I digress.

"Thank You For The Music" ABBA. You are indisputable pop legends. But "Voulez-Vous" tell me why you turned down $1 billion to reunite? After all, isn't money the "Name of the Game"? "It is a lot of money," says Ulvaeus "and the relationship between us and the girls is fine -- no problems there. But we just came to the decision that it would be wrong to do it."

Wrong? Are you on drugs -- still? No sane, self-centred, egotistical "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" kind of person like myself would turn down "Money Money Money" like that. And after seeing Mamma Mia, I'm convinced "One of Us" is mad -- and it ain't me. So darlin' can't you hear me -- "S.O.S."

"Honey, Honey," what's the use? My rant amid all the "Super Trouper" hype surrounding the North American premiere is likely to fall on deaf ears. Mamma Mia has shattered all Royal Alex box office records in its 93-year history; it sold more than 10,000 tickets in its first day of sales. So powerful is the hype, most of the media is buying it. I know "I'm Taking a Chance on Me," and, yet again, risking persona non grata status with the Mirvishes. But how could these pop legends force-feed their kitsch-turned-classic lyrics into such a terribly trite tale -- the fit is about as good as a "Chiquitita" banana up your nose.

Making matters worse, at the post opening night gala at The Courthouse, London producers corralled media into a "cage" so we wouldn't swarm the original ABBA band members in attendance, which also included Benny Andersson and a stunning, but media-shy Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Agnetha Faaltskog wasn't in attendance. (No problems, eh?) "Knowing Me, Knowing You" -- cage me like an animal and consider yourself "Under Attack."

Why here for the North American premiere, you ask? "I have very bad memories with launching Chess in 1986," says Ulvaeus. "We went straight to Broadway -- a big mistake. I think our instinct to go for Toronto was right. After London, we had a choice to go to Australia, but for some reason we thought of Toronto. It's the third biggest musical city in the world and very like my hometown Stockholm: it's northern and very clean." And of course we have an IKEA.

Never mind. This "Dancing Queen" is agog that the decision to debut Mamma Mia in Toronto of all North American cities had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Toronto is one of the gayest cities in the world -- filled with ABBA worshippers I might add. But apparently this comes as a complete surprise. "I had no idea," says Ulvaeus. "Why is that? Can any one explain why is that?" Gee, I don't know: kitsch, glitter, outrageous glamour. You do the math. I suppose Mamma Mia's next stop being San Francisco is just another coincidence? But may I suggest "Waterloo", instead?

BTW, Bjorn, it's the gay communities of the world who have kept your music alive for nearly three decades -- even long before it was cool to adore ABBA. Not to mention the new meaning some lyrics have taken on. "[The lyric] 'does your mother know you are out' is from a song about sad old men that go for young girls," says Ulvaeus. "In no way was it about myself. But I realize that it can be twisted around today -- and it's very clever. Actually, the new interpretation I like very much more than the other one." I like very much more, too.

In spite of my misgivings about Mamma Mia, Bjorn Ulvaeus is a modest, charming and an affable gentleman fascinated with the fascination of all things '70s, including ABBA. "You say it's great now," says Ulvaeus. "But remember, it was an ugly thing to like ABBA in the '70s. Most fans were closet fans really; kitsch was bad then. I just wanted to be as outrageous as possible in that glam rock period. Gee, I still cringe when I see it." Moi, aussi. "Fernando," another margarita please!

Thanks to Carl Magnus Palm and Gunnar Moe for this story

My friend was in New York last week and said the Virgin Mega Store has a huge display of Mamma Mia! CDs, posters and ABBA GOLD CDs.Is Mamma Mia effecting sales on our chart since Toronto is just over the border? Is the A teens touring with Britney Spears helping? My friend told me her younger sister (aged 15) went out and bought ABBA GOLD after buying the A*Teens CD. 

From ABBAMAILer Robin Chism Atlanta Ga. U.S.A.

'BBC TV is looking for people from the UK who were fans of ABBA in the 1970s to interview for a BBC 2 television documentary. We are particularly keen to track down somebody who saw them play live in the UK, perhaps at the Royal Albert Hall in 1977 and people with vivid memories of ABBA from the 70s.

If you fit the bill, please email your contact details including a daytime contact number to julie.oregan@bbc.co.uk or call 0161 244 4217. The deadline is 31st July.'

Take care ! Helga van de Kar, ABBF  Club <http://abbf.club.tip.nl>

When all is said and done, it's been a long time since a cover version of a previously charted ABBA song has appeared on The Billboard 200 [sic, I think...]. It's just shy of 26 years, and the song wasn't even one of the Swedish quartet's most popular hits. In August 1974, British duo Sweet Dreams (Polly Brown of "Up In A Puff Of Smoke" fame and Tony Brown) became one-hit wonders in the U.S. with their version of "Honey, Honey". ABBA's original entered the chart two weeks later and became the more successful release, peaking at No. 27.

This issue marks only the second time in chart history that an act has taken a previously charted ABBA song back to the Hot 100. Stockholm Records' A*Teens, who have been on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart for 16 weeks, finally entered the main chart with "Dancing Queen". Their remake of ABBA's only No. 1 single in America is new at No. 97, although it bullets 20-14 on the sales chart.

In Sweden, the A*Teens are already working on a second album of all-original songs, but their first release, "THE ABBA GENERATION", is made up entirely of ABBA covers. That CD takes a 20-point leap on The Billboard 200, landing at No. 77.

With the ABBA revival going strong since 1992, it's surprising it took this long for one of the group's songs to encore on the Hot 100. Erasure won airplay for its remake of "Take A Chance On Me" in 1992, but the track was part of an EP and was not a commercial single, so it wasn't eligible for the Hot 100. In 1989, the Minneapolis group Information Society took "Lay All Your Love On Me" to No. 83, but ABBA's original version (the B-side of "On And On And On") never charted.

A*TEENS
THE ABBA GENERATION
NEW EDITION
+ bonus album ERASURE <<ABBA-ESQUE>>
547 666-2 Stockholm Records

01 Happy New Year (New)
02 Mamma Mia
03 Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
04 Super Trouper
05 One Of Us
06 Voules Vous (?!)
07 S.O.S.
08 Dancing Queen
09 Take A Chance On Me
10 Lay All Of Your Love On Me
11 The Name Of The Game
12 Our Last Summer
Bonus album
13 Lay All Your Love On Me -Erasure
14 S.O.S. -Erasure
15 Take A Chance On Me -Erasure
16 Voules Vous (not again!-jd) -Erasure
17 Money, Money, Money (Original) -ABBA
18 Fernando (Original) -ABBA
19 Chiquitita (Original) -ABBA
20 Happy New Year (Original) -ABBA

It's the same artwork (Swedish version) but the logo is scrunched down a bit (and the photo with more of a reddish tint) to make room for a miniature cover of the ABBA-esque EP and a picture each of Björn, Agnetha, Benny & Frida, although there is no mention of ABBA whatsoever (the -Erasure and -ABBA I added to the track listing above). Not even inside, which does not contain the full booklet or any of its text, only the centerfold photo in the original booklet. It's copyright 2000 Stockholm Records.

Strange, or what?!

ABBA will get its first street name in Schiedam.

Finally a street will be named after the world famous pop group ABBA. This will happen in Schiedam (Netherlands), logically in the new Swedish section Sveaparken.

According to the fan club and the embassy no street in the world has been named after ABBA yet. The individual group members have yet to agree, but city mayor Scheeres is hopeful.

A quarrel has preceded ABBAborg. The Schiedam naming committee had made various beautiful proposals like Kellgreholm, Fjelddal and Kirunaborg. The city counsel concluded that these names were too difficult for the inhabitants and the postal services. Come up with something else and include the better-known Swedish aspects like ABBA, Astrid Lindgren, Olof Palme and for instance Pippi Langkous.

The committee withdrew its proposals. New street names have been proposed now. Pippi Langkous will be used as well, but not as a street name but as the name of an elementary school. The first houses will be ready at the end of this year.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Pieter Wever Amersfoort, The Netherlands

Grant Whittingham, www.joback.nu

Next Monday night July 10th at 8.00pm highly rated BBC soap "EastEnders" are having a ABBA Karaoke night in the Queen Vic (Pub). Judging by the comments on last nights episode about the *Blonde One* and the *Guy with The Beard*, it's going to be a cringe time for us.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Steve Courtney, Dublin, Ireland

The open air concerts will be on the following dates:

07 July : Esbjerg, Skibhøj
08 July : Odense, Dyrskuepladsen
09 July : Århus, Vestereng
13 July : Blokhus, Hune
14 July : Vejle, Hornstrup Kirkeby
15 July : Næstved, Holsted Nord
16 July : Copenhagen, Valbyparken

Entrance fee: Dkr. 75,- and for children before 8 years it's free.

"The doors" will open at 13.00 (1 pm) at every concert and the A*Teens will be on stage every time at 14.10 (2.10 pm). The program says they will perform about an hour. The Grøn Koncert ends at 20.30 (8.30 pm).

Romours says, that the A*Teens probably will sing songs from their new CD. Let's hope it's true.

On this URL: http://www.mcarecords.com/a-teens/ I read, that the A*Teens will perform live here in cyberspace from their Copenhagen concert .

More info about Grøn Koncert here http://www.groenkoncert.dk (unfortunately I only think it's in Danish).

Also among one of the performers/singers is Danish Sanne Salomonsen, known from the "ABBA - The Tribute" CD, where she sang "Knowing Me, Knowing You". She will be on stage at 17.45 (5.45 pm).

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jan Bach Copenhagen, Denmark

I must admit to being dubious when I first heard that "Witches of Eastwick" was being turned into a musical. It seemed such an unlikely candidate - much in the same way as that other musical "Stop The Planet Of The Apes - I Want To Get Off" with Troy McClure. So, did it work?

Well, it's hard to tell since this was the first preview and there are obviously some problems with the pacing which will hopefully be fixed. One minute I would be enjoying myself and the next I would be wondering when it would end. There were still quite a few highlights including some great songs. But be warned - don't sing "Dirty Laundry" in front of Sara or she'll deck you. :)

The cast were great. Lucie Arnaz (Lucille Ball's daughter, although that's not mentioned in her bio) played Cher's role and seemed to be having lots of fun as did the other witches. There were some great effects and lots of laughs.

But the main highlight, of course, was Peter who was in excellent voice (as always). He doesn't have too much to do in the first act. He sings a couple of short bits, looks great and that's about it. His American accent sounded a bit strange - not as natural as it was in "Miss Saigon".

But Peter's turn comes in the second act. He sings the beautiful ballad "Something" with Caroline Sheen which got the biggest applause of all the songs up to that point. He also sings the showstopper "Dance With The Devil" which was spectacular to watch. It is set in the diner where Michael (Peter's character) works. And I must say that Peter is wearing the tightest pair of pants I have ever seen. 

Darryl Van Horne starts the song and entices the sweet, innocent Michael to become a sex crazed maniac. Michael ends up dancing up a storm, singing his heart out, shirt ripped open. It's certainly a great number and one that people will remember long afterwards. I will never forget it that's for sure.

By the end of the show, the audience were clapping and cheering fit to raise the roof. Hopefully this is a good sign for the success of the musical and will help Peter make his name internationally - everyone deserves to hear his fantastic voice. I haven't read any reviews yet but I guess they will come out after the actual premiere on 18 July.

After the show, we hung out around the stage door, as you do. It wasn't too long before Peter came out and started to walk off, obviously not expecting anyone to know him. We called out his name and ran after him. Fortunately, he did not bolt off in a panic but stopped and obliged with autographs, photos and smiles. And what a beautiful smile Peter has. When he posed for a photo with me, he actually put his hand on my back and I almost passed out. Seeing as he did it, I also put my hand on his back and almost passed out again. 

The group is still concentrating on the US market. "Dancing Queen" has finally entered the hot 100 charts (combination of sales and airplay) although it has been doing well enough on the sales charts. Despite Dhani's injury, I think the group will be doing some shows over there now. 

We don't know much about the new album at this stage except that we will hear more of the boys singing (and before you scoff, yes they can sing) and that it won't be all ABBA songs - just a few.

Grant Whittingham, ABBAMAIL, Stockholm

Info from Bryan Anderson Norfolk, UK

We will send the correct magazine a.s.a.p. this week. You can keep the incorrect magazine or give it away to a friend. For those who did receive an ABBA magazine with a cross for taking care of payment (with the first shipment); this wasn't meant to be your magazine ! Sorry about this !"

Helga Van der Kar, ABBF Club

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Stockholm Office/Grant Whittingham

**The Schedule**

20:00 Abba Mix Special 20:45 The Abba Story - The Winner Takes It All 22:00 Abbamania 23:00 Abba Mix Special (finishes at 23:45)

**The Detail**

* Abba Mix Special - Classic Abba videos and covers of their most memorable songs. * The Abba Story, Winner Takes It All - no explanation needed here, methinks! * Abbamania - Repeat of the show hosted by Denise van Outen featuring Steps, Madness, Culture Club, Westlife et al. * Abba Mix Special (23:00) - no detail given, may be a repeat of the earlier mix

**Abba today** This is what on-digital TV have to say: Agnetha retired in 1982 when Abba split but resurfaced with My Love, My Life in 1996. Anni-Frid married German prince Ruzzo Reuss and is now occupied with charity work. Benny wrote a millennium psalm for the main Swedish church Sensual Kieran Björn has worked with Benny on the musicals Chess and Mamma Mia!

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Kevin Fletcher Birmingham, UK

Thanks to Bryan Anderson, Norfolk UK

The Witches Of Eastwick: A Musical Comedy Dir: Eric Schaeffer.Ian McShane, Lucie Arnaz, Maria Friedman, Joanna Riding

by Robin Stringer

There's something strange about The Witches of Eastwick, the new £4.5 million musical comedy out of the Cameron Mackintosh stable which has a reputation for breeding winners. It has crept up on us.

Although there have already been several previews at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the show has been unaccompanied by the usual media hype, the starry interviews and the inflated promises.

This is the result of a conscious decision by Sir Cameron. "Everyone is fed up with being told this is the best new thing since whatever," he said.

"I feel about this show as I felt about Cats. You cannot explain it up front. It's fresh and different, there's flying the like of which you have never seen before and the public will make up their mind if they want to see it.

"The only ad I have done is to say The Witches is opening and it is a musical comedy, implying, of course, that it is not the movie."

Some might fear that the show would invite unfavourable comparisons with the movie, which starred Jack Nicholson in the role now taken by Ian McShane, not to mention Susan Sarandon, Cher and Michelle Pfeiffer as the witches. Not Sir Cameron.

"We have not had anyone coming out of the theatre saying that," he maintains, adamantly. "You never think of Nicholson or the rest of the cast in the film.

"Our cast are all completely different and there's been a terrific chemistry between them," he adds, enthusing over McShane, back on the West End stage after a 30-year absence, and his multi-talented witches, Joanna Riding, Maria Friedman and American Lucie Arnaz. Nor has he anything but praise for the two American creators of the show, lyricist and book writer John Dempsey and composer Dana P Rowe, who had so impressed him with their show, The Fix.

"They have been fantastic in assimilating suggestions from other people and coming back with material that was very much their own," he said. "It is also entirely in the spirit of John Updike, who wrote the original novel. The book is all John Dempsey but it smells like Updike.

"The basic structure of the show has been there from the first preview. All we are doing is tightening up and adjusting little things here and there," he adds, looking at an official first night that does not happen until 18 July.

"I am entirely happy about it, we have all had a wonderful time doing it and the ordinary members of the public who have seen it so far have absolutely adored it."

Sir Cameron, now 53, could do with a smoother ride than he had with his last show, Martin Guerre, which despite two re-launches has not achieved the hit status attained by the two previous Schonberg-Boublil shows, Miss Saigon and Les Miserables.

However, as co-producer of next year's revival of My Fair Lady at the National Theatre and acquirer of seven of the West End's finest theatres, he seems less frenetic about the outcome than in the past.

"I am the calmest I can remember being over a show," he said. "If the public don't like this, there's nothing I can do about it, and I am too old to worry about it."

Now Playing Theatre Royal, Drury Lane From Jun 24, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, (Jul 18, 7pm), mats Wed, Sat 3pm, booking to Mar 31 2001 £7.50-£37.50

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Cliff Docherty Wembley, UK