Dancing Queen In Concert

A group of just six performers took the audience on a nostalgic trip back to the ’70s in this fun show. In the first half, hit songs from Barry White and The Real Thing had us all warming up our vocal chords. The group’s vocals were spot on – this could have been a CD of the real acts – and a rendition of Grease was just the right length for those who love the songs but have seen the musical a dozen times. But the title of the show is called Dancing Queen, and as a result the second half was devoted to the the music of supergroup ABBA. At this point 80 per cent of the audience were on their feet and dancing in the aisles. This seemed a natural progression for the show, but it was quite strange in an all-seated theatre venue. A show or a party? Well, with a bare set (the group’s costumes being the only thing on show here) it definitely felt more like a party. Perhaps a revamped format could work for them: having the lyrics on a screen, a ’70s disco ball and multi-coloured lights for more of a party atmosphere. As it was, the vocals in this show could not be faulted (X Factor: take note). Can we have a ’50s, ’60s and ’80s show too, please?

Congress Theatre, Eastbourne, 2 December 2012

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