A television special celebrating the music of the Swedish supergroup, hosted by the band themselves.
In this one-off special, the four members of Abba act as hosts for a programme dedicated to their own musical legacy. The show’s centrepiece is a complete performance of the mini-musical ‘The Girl With The Golden Hair’, which originally featured in their 1977 world tour. This segment is narrated by Richard O’Brien and Korenne Lofts, and stars Liz McClarnon as the titular ‘Girl’. The special combines these theatrical elements with classic performance footage and the band’s own introductions to their songs.
Produced for ITV’s Christmas schedule, this programme was conceived as something more than a standard clips compilation. By having the band members themselves present the material, and by staging a full revival of their ambitious ‘The Girl With The Golden Hair’ sequence, the production treated its subject with a seriousness often denied to pop retrospectives. The involvement of Richard O’Brien, creator of The Rocky Horror Show, as narrator injected theatrical credibility and cult appeal into the proceedings, framing the band’s work not just as a collection of hits but as a piece of pop-art history.
Broadcast: ITV – Central, 1 Episode, 27 December 2006
Written by: Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson
Music by: Martin Koch, Nick Gilpin, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson
Producer: Chris Hunt
Director: Steve Cole
Production Company: Iambic Productions
Main Cast: Abba (Hosts), Liz McClarnon (The Girl), Korenne Lofts (Narrator), Richard O’Brien (Narrator of ‘The Girl With The Golden Hair’)
