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Want more play-time? we certainly do

David Light starts the New Year hoping for more live theatre productions

Photo: Corbis Images

I am not the biggest ABBA fan. As a child I was subjected to a number of car journeys with my mum in charge of the stereo. Her ‘Best of…’ compilation CD, containing the Swedish pop group’s greatest hits was a firm fixture. You may say I have a slight aversion to numbers including Super Trooper, Money, Money, Money and especially Fernando. So, you can imagine my reaction when I was informed the West End musical Mamma Mia!, based on the band’s music, was coming to town and I was going.

I love musicals. I think they’re entertaining and require a lot of skill to successfully pull off to a professional standard. But, two hours of ABBA…really?

And so it went, on Tuesday night we made our way down to the World Trade Centre where I strapped myself in for an evening of, what I thought was going to be, mild amusement.

Actually it was brilliant and only reinforced the thought I had when seeing Billy Bishop Goes To War at DUCTAC a few weeks ago – there is something about going to the theatre, which remains distinctly special. I hope even more productions are presented in Dubai. Although the WTC isn’t what you would call a traditional proscenium-type venue (actually it is a little big for my liking, lacking the cosiness other establishments proffer) it still came alive as soon as the actors burst on stage. The colours, the movement, the vocals all combined to transport the audience, drawing us into their universe. So what if the story was hung around songs written forty or so years ago? It made sense and the plot/music tapestry, in the most part, was woven seamlessly. By the end everyone, including myself, was up in the aisles and clapping along.

I guess what I’m asking for is for 2015 to be the year of the theatre. If I can grow to like ABBA’s tunes through live performance then there is hope for any show.

And it may limit those relentless grievances.

david@khaleejtimes.com