Heading into ABBA Voyage as three seriously obsessed Mamma Mia fans, I thought, we’ll know every word to every song, we’ll dance like we do in the kitchen, and we’ll be surrounded by people doing exactly the same. And dance we did!
There’s something so wonderful about heading to an event like this, and going with my sister and Mum meant stepping into our shiny shoes and was reminiscent of my days watching Mamma Mia as a child. I quickly realised that the event was created with true ABBA fans in mind. We were surprised by some of the song choices, a few we’d never heard before, including the opening two songs. It did give us time to appreciate the set up, and the energy built throughout the performance.
In terms of getting there, London transport did a treat putting the venue so close to Pudding Mill Lane station. We felt safe on the journey, and we didn’t have to walk in the dark at all, which is usually a concern for evening events such as this.
The holograms were incredible. I mean it’s not something I ever thought I’d live to see, people projected onto a stage and performing. We travelled from the 70s, to today, to a sci-fi ABBA future, all in the space of 90 minutes. And we loved it! I’d definitely recommend getting dancefloor tickets if standing would work for you. It meant we got to have a boogie and it felt much more like a concert and less like a cinema show when standing near the stage.
I was amazed by the attention to detail in the figures, their mannerisms and their humanity. At times, they felt so real, at at other moments we were pulled away from the allusion, reminded of the fabulous band, of how the times have moved from their first performance of Waterloo at Eurovision in 1974.
The parts I loved the most were when it really seemed like ABBA were standing on the stage, but I liked how the production challenged the audience to be aware of the illusion. Some of those moments just frustrated me because the holograms were so impressive, but I understand why these creative decisions were made. So was it done perfectly? Was it presented how I would have done it? Probably not. But wow was it impressive and so much fun. I would encourage anyone to go, and see what it’s like for themselves. It’s absolutely worth it.
