Rhonda Burchmore has a lot of affection for Abba.
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When we meet her on the stage of Bendigo’s The Capital theatre, her outfit reflects the fun and colour the band was known for.
Even before she starred in the Australian run of Abba musical Mamma Mia in 2001, she was a huge fan of the Swedish pop group.
It is that fandom that has spurred her and Lara Mulcahey’s show – Abba-solutely Fabulous.
“(Lara and I) were in Mamma Mia for three years. She became my best friend in that show and we have remained besties every since,” Burchmore said.
“We have amazing chemistry. She's as short as I am tall and it is a hilarious show.”
“It’s not just a tribute show. It's two girls of a certain age that are die hard Abba fans who didn't get to that concert 40 years ago.
“So we relive all the mad crushes we had on Abba and what that 70s culture was like.”
Burchmore said her and Mulcahey delved into Abba’s back catalogue when creating the show.
“Where we differ from a tribute band is that there is a story to (the show). The songs are kind of peppered through the two hours,” she said.
“We purposely picked some obscure Abba songs as well as favourites,” she said.
“We do Nina, Pretty Ballerina because both ballerinas growing. We do Ring Ring and Fernando which wasn't in Mamma Mia.
“Die-hard Abba fans expect a certain sound. We have invested in a ‘wall of sound’ because their music was so layered.”
In the 1970s, when Abba shot to fame, Burchmore said she and her sister idolised the band.
“My sister and I wanted to be Frieda and Anna. We were in the bathroom with hairbrushes singing,” she said.
“There is something about that music. Even 40 years later, you can't go to a party with out Waterloo or Dancing Queen coming on.
“Of all genres music I do, this type of music gets people going the most. Dancing Queen is the show’s encore but when the crowd hears it they go nuts.
“I also get to do The Winner Takes It All which is a crowd-pleaser.”
Abba-solutely Fabulous arrives in Bendigo on August 26 and has already had a series of sold-out shows in Melbourne.
“We have done five sell-outs so far and the audiences have gone crazy for it. Hopefully Bendigo does too,” she said.
“Last time I sang in Bendigo was with David Hobson and the Victoria Orchestra for a bridal expo.
“The Capital is one of my favourite theatres and I can’t wait to bring our show here.”
Visit www.thecapital.com.au/Whats_On for more information or to book tickets.