Theatre / Reviews
Review: The Way Old Friends Do, Theatre Royal Bath – ‘A love letter to ABBA’
Some nights, as I drive home from a show I am reviewing, I start to compose two completely different versions in my head – by the time I sit down to start writing, I have decided which one to work with. Tonight I am completely torn.
The Way Old Friends Do is written by actor Ian Hallard, who freely admits in the programme notes that he ‘reverse engineered’ a way to ensure that he got to live his dream to play Abba’s Agnetha Faltskog.
The play follows Peter and Edward, old school friends who meet up again by chance and decide to stage a one-night only Abba tribute show – in drag – which leads to a full on year of private party gigs, weddings and local club nights.
is needed now More than ever
Ian Hallard as Peter and Donna Berlin as Sally
They are joined by a young woman who can’t usually get parts playing humans, and an eccentric middle-aged Scot who plays keyboards and hides a wild side under her cable knit cardigan (thank goodness for Sara Crowe here). The group is disrupted by an Orton-esque Mr Sloane type who causes them all to question what they are doing.
‘Write what you know’, Hallard was advised. What he knows is a) what life is like as an actor and b) every word written by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson. What he doesn’t know is how to write with subtlety or nuance. He has some flair for a caustic comment or two, but no depth of character construction or credibly emotional dialogue.
Hallard is married to Mark Gatiss, who directs this. Lo and behold the play gets a professional production budget and a national tour, when really it should have been tried out in a regional amateur company season, and stayed there. I say this as someone who respects regional amateur theatre precisely because it is a great place to learn, hone and know when to stop.
James Bradshaw as Edward and Sara Crowe as Mrs Campbell
That’s one version of how I felt tonight. The other me observed a lot of love in the evening – love between the writer and director, love for the strength of friendship and relationships, and genuine love for a band which has touched the hearts of millions of us for the last 50 years.
Some favours had clearly been called in here – the first voice we heard was Paul O’Grady’s, which caused almost everyone in the audience to hold their hands to their chests. And the off-stage Nan of lead character Peter (Hallard) is voiced by Miriam Margolyes. I bet the opening night party back in February was a hoot.
With a 70s TV show music slot set designed by Janet Bird and an Abba lovers’ sound design by Ben Harrison, this show is a love-letter for sure. But I felt more like a voyeur than a participant.
Donna Berlin, Andrew Horton, Sara Crowe, Ian Hallard, James Bradshaw, Rose Shalloo
For tickets and information about all upcoming shows at Theatre Royal Bath, visit www.theatreroyal.org.uk or follow @theatreroyalbath1805 on Insta.
All photos: Darren Bell
Read more: Review: An Inspector Calls, Theatre Royal Bath – ‘A script that’s so clever, it’s timeless’
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