Blackpool’s Grand Theatre is delighted to announce its BIG Summer Show for 2018. Working in partnership with Producer Stuart Littlewood of HANDSHAKE they will present the original tribute from London’s West End ABBA MANIA, for 8-weeks this summer in Blackpool.

‘If you’re an ABBA fan, you’ll love the tribute concert.’

Daily Express

It has now been 31 years since ABBA last toured and, as you can imagine, in 1979 requests for tickets far outstripped availability with two Royal Albert Hall performances receiving 2 million requests for tickets, with only 5000 available. In short, it was the hottest ticket in town.

Today ABBA mania continues to grip the nation with countless tributes on television, radio and of course with the hugely popular stage hit Mamma Mia, now a feature film (and a second film on the way), so there are no signs that this popularity is slowing down!

ABBA MANIA the tribute takes you back in time by recreating one of the world’s finest pop groups in a live stage performance. This highly polished and professional production played its first shows in 2000.  ABBA MANIA was then invited to perform at London’s West End, and played for 18 weeks at the Strand Theatre.

ABBA MANIA will feature a collection of iconic ABBA hits including; Knowing MeKnowing YouChiquititaThe Name Of The GameWaterloo and SOS.

The show was presented with a prestigious Radio Regenbogen award for the Best Musical. Fellow winners that year were Tom Jones and Meatloaf. ABBA MANIA has toured extensively throughout Europe selling out theatres wherever they performed, including 24 consecutive shows in the Schiller Theatre in Berlin, and Cologne Arena.

ABBA have won countless awards and nominations; In 1974 the won the Eurovision Song Contest for the song "Waterloo". 1977 - nominated for the inaugural BRIT Award in a category Best International Album. 1982 - received a Golden Gramophone Award "in recognition of the outstanding contribution to popular music worldwide". 1992 - Received an Honorary Grammis Award. 1993 - won a World Music Award as the Best Selling Swedish Artists of the Year. 2002 - Inducted into Vocal Group Hall of Fame. 2001 - Ulvaeus and Andersson received a Special International Ivor Novello Award. 2004 - Award from Universal Music and Polar Music for achieving record sales of 360 million sales worldwide between 1974 and 2004. 2005 - DVD version of the 1980 TV special ABBA in Concert nominated for a Grammis. 2006 - ABBA: The Movie won a Grammis as the Best Music DVD. And in 2010 - ABBA was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

ABBA MANIA has continued to tour the globe, enjoying great success, with ticket sales for most venues selling out long before the show hits town.

HANDSHAKE Producer, Stuart Littlewood, said ‘We are always excited to hit the Vegas of The North, Blackpool, returning this year for 8-weeks will ensure that once again residents and the millions of tourists Blackpool receives will be entertained with the legendary songs of ABBA. We want to ensure you’re all ‘having the time of your life’.

‘Having produced many shows for Blackpool, I’m delighted to have a show returning for Summer 2018 and for a full 8-week run – the sunshine (we bring that too!), infamous Tower, stunning promenade, sunsets and fantastic atmosphere – Blackpool is as iconic as ABBA themselves!’

ABBA MANIA has toured globally in regions as far afield as Hollywood, San Diego, Las Vegas, Venezuela, North America, Tahiti, Mexico, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Luxembourg, Australia, New Zealand and many more, making this the world’s most successful touring ABBA show.

‘ABBA MANIA are one of the best on the circuit’

Daily Mirror

GRAND THEATRE Marketing Manager, Andrew Howard said ‘We’re delighted to work with Stuart and his team again. When Stuart said he wanted to return we said Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! ABBA MANIA! On the last visit the show put a buzz in the town that won’t be forgotten and we received incredible reviews and feedback from the public. The group are incredibly talented, and without doubt will have the audience dancing in the aisles.’

ABBA MANIA will be performing at Blackpool’s Grand TheatreTuesday 17 July to Saturday 8 September 2018(Tuesday to Sundays (excluding 26th Aug)).

Tuesday to Saturday 7:30pm, Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2pm, and a Sunday matinee at 3pm. Tickets £19 to £26, Matinees £21, Under 18s £12.50, Concessions and Group discounts are available.

To book tickets at blackpoolgrand.co.uk, call 01253 290190 or visit Blackpool Tourist Information Centre on the promenade.

EIGHT of our favourite ABBA Facts

1. They came together by chance.

Benny Anderson's group, the Hep Stars, and Bjorn Ulvaeus's group, the Hootenanny Singers, met on a bus at a countryside crossroads on the way to a party.

2. They released an album before winning Eurovision.

'Ring Ring' was their debut album which hit the shops in 1973, and they didn't win Eurovision with 'Waterloo' until 1974.

3. They shared the same name as a Swedish seafood.

ABBA was an acronym of the band's first initials - Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn, Anni - but already belonged to a company set up in 1838. In 1974 they agreed to officially share the name with the band.

4. Almost all their videos were directed by Lasse Hallstrom.

Hallstrom would win an Oscar for the dark abortionist story 'Cider House Rules' (1999) later in his career, but began his foray into the world of film directing all of ABBA's promotional music videos.

5. Sadly, both in-group marriages ended in divorce.

Famously, Agnetha and Bjorn and Benny and Anni-Frid married, when Abba's music was ruling the world. Both marriages ended, in 1979 and 1981 respectively, although the band did try and continue for a short time after. The atmosphere in the studio was 'weird' though, said Ulvaeus.

6. Abba: Gold is the second bestselling album ever in the UK.

Bigger than Adele's 21 and the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper, it is surpassed in sales only by Queen's 'Greatest Hits'.

7. Their Australian 1976 TV special got better ratings than the landing on the moon.

ABBA's massive cultural legacy in Australia is reflected in the worldwide global smash film 'Muriel's Wedding' (1994).

8. They'll never reunite.

"We would like people to remember us as we were," said Bjorn Ulvaeus. "Young, exuberant, full of energy and ambition."

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At Blackpool's Grade II Grand Theatre, Lancashire's premier touring theatre and arts centre you will catch a wide ranging programme of shows throughout the year.

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