Abba Mania, Darlington Civic Theatre

9:29am Tuesday 10th June 2008

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DANCING queens and kings got out their platform glitter boots and squeezed into their electric blue Lycra for a good old party time at the Civic when Abba Mania, probably the bestknown Abba tribute show, came to town.

A packed house danced in the aisles as Mark Thomas, Carley Broom, Gareth Kedward and Jennifer Robb reprised the Swedish supergroup's greatest hits complete with kitsch costumes, flashing strobe lights and whooshing fireworks.

There's not a lot to say about the music of Benny and Bjorn; I don't know anyone who would say they don't like it at all, and there were hundreds in audience who like it very much indeed!

Like a Beryl Cook painting they sang, danced, clapped, swayed with their arms in the air and altogether had a very good time.

The musicians are solidly professional and the sound is pretty authentic. Carley Broom as Agnetha, the blonde one that everyone fancies, has an excellent voice but lacks the purity of the original when singing solo; the twiddly bits up and down the scale that are fashionable these days aren't necessary when the songs are so good.

Children from Stagecoach schools around the region were clearly thrilled to be sharing the stage with such glamorous beings, and sang their socks off for I Have A Dream. Big smiles, too - a pleasure to see and hear them. Proud mums in the audience risked taking photos on mobile phones, and who could blame them?

The closing song before the damply ecstatic, pink-faced audience headed for home was Thank You For the Music - very apt, both for the tribute band and the originals.