The Way Old Friends Do – Criterion Theatre, London

Writer: Ian Hallard

Director: Mark Gatiss

Almost 50 years after Abba exploded onto the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest, the popularity of the Swedish band shows no signs of diminishing. Sharing its title with that of an Abba song, the Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s production of Ian Hallard’s comedy The Way Old Friends Do arrives for a limited run in London’s West End. Telling the story of the rise and fall of a gender-reversed Abba tribute band, the play harks back to the glittering days of floral shirts, kipper ties, flared trousers and platform shoes.

In 2015, when Mamma Mia! was in only the 17th year of its West End run, up in the West Midlands Peter (Hallard) and Edward (Anton Tweedale) hook up on Grindr and then realise that they are old friends from school 20 years or so earlier. Edward was planning to be unfaithful to his husband, while Peter, an Abba fanatic, is worried about revealing his bisexuality to his Nan, whose voice, heard over the telephone, is unmistakably that of Miriam Margolyes, even with a thick Brummie accent. Equally unmistakable is the voice of the late Paul O’Grady, heard as a radio presenter. He could have taught these aspiring dancing queens a few things about performing in drag.

Encouraged by Peter’s close friend Sally (Donna Berlin), the old friends develop the idea of forming an Abba tribute band, with Peter becoming Agnetha and Edward Anni-Frid. Delightful cameos from Rose Shalloo as Jodie/Björn and Sara Crowe as Mrs Campbell/Benny boost the laughs as quick-fire gags and camp clichés are rolled out. The jokes may be predictable, but they contribute to a boisterous first act of solid warm-hearted fun.

This is a lighter form of comedy than that most commonly associated with director Mark Gatiss, but the tone and the pacing of his production are just about perfect until the play hits the buffers in the middle of the second act. Snippets from Abba tracks are heard at scene changes throughout, but we are denied the chance to see the tribute act performing until a glitzy finale and this leaves a gaping hole which is felt most acutely when the play starts to take things too seriously.

Christian (Andrew Horton), an over-enthusiastic young fan, arrives and begins to drive a wedge between Peter and Edward. Famously, members of Abba themselves underwent difficulties in their personal lives which were reflected in the lyrics of their songs and the writer seems to enjoy the irony of a tribute band suffering a similar fate. Unfortunately, while the play dwells for too long on the band’s demise, it is neither convincing nor amusing.

Hallard manages to pull the play back near the end by reminding us of the fun of these super troupers. It is frustrating that the laughs quota is not sustained consistently throughout the evening, but, in these gloomy days, we need to be grateful for all the cheer we can get.

Runs until 9 September 2023