Review: THE WAY OLD FRIENDS DO, Criterion Theatre

Photo credit: Darren Bell

You can’t beat a bit of Abba, and Abba tribute acts are always a draw. What’s that? It’s all been done? Here we go again, we know the start, we know the end? But wait! What about a drag Abba tribute act? It’s perhaps not a question you’ve ever asked yourself before, but by the time you reach the curtain call of The Way Old Friends Do, you’ll wonder why; Abba and drag just go together so well.

The Way Old Friends Do is the story of Peter (Ian Hallard) and Edward (Anton Tweedale), old school friends who’ve lost touch and accidentally meet up again decades later thanks to a Grindr date mishap. They reconnect – not in a romantic way – and reminisce about the old days, and specifically about Peter’s great love of Abba.

When an Abba tribute act cancel a booking at a friend’s theatre, Edward has the idea of stepping in, only he wants to be Frida… Head Over Heels (the name of their gender-swapping tribute act) is born. Recruiting Jodie (Rose Shalloo) to be Bjorn and Mrs Campbell (Sara Crowe) as Benny (complete with itchy, wonky beard), along with Sally (Donna Berlin) to manage the whole thing, we’re off and running – or rather, off and singing – after a rather poignant voiceover from a much-missed Paul O’Grady. And it’s all going swimmingly until Christian (Andrew Horton) and his charm, good looks, and never-ending Abba trivia turns up and threatens to turn Head Over Heads on its head.

Add to this Peter not being out to his beloved nan (Miriam Margolyes in voiceover form) and Edward’s rocky relationship with his much older husband, and you’ve got humour, warmth, sadness, and despite the glitter, Lycra, and platform heels, you’ve got a real slice of life with an Abba soundtrack.

The Way Old Friends Do is written by Ian Hallard who presents a witty script full of one-liners and Abba in-jokes, but with enough there for those without an in-depth knowledge of the four Swedes (actually, three Swedes and a Norwegian…) to have a good laugh. It’s the way the play shifts from camp and fun to a more serious tone without losing any of the sparkle behind it that impressed us, and thanks to excellent direction from Mark Gatiss (Hallard’s real-life husband), the show becomes much more than a tale of old friends getting to know one another again; it’s about everything in between as well.

The performances are judged well, and although a couple of the characters veer towards caricature, they are kept just on the right side of believable. Ranging from serious Peter to the eccentric Mrs Campbell (our personal favourite – every line a gem), the characters run the gamut of the people you’re likely to know in real life, making the entire story come together in a much more personal way.

The Way Old Friends Do is a gorgeously realised super trouper of a play that’s well worth taking a chance on. We've done it all before and now we're back to get some more; you know what we mean, Besties...

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Lisamarie Lamb

The Way Old Friends Do plays at London’s Criterion Theatre until 9 September, with tickets available here.