Can You Believe That ABBA Dressed This Way Because Of...Taxes?

 I'm partial about Sweden. I'm more partial about Denmark, but I have a soft spot for all Scandinavian countries. I lived in Denmark for a couple of years, met many Swedish citizens...they are as warm and lovely as they are beautiful. 

Being partial for Scandinavian things includes the megaband ABBA. Many Danes support their northern neighbors when it comes to pop culture. I mean, Swedes are almost Danish, or they were all one country centuries ago so it's like supporting one of their own.

Back in the 1970s the world was transforming from the hippie styles of the 1960s into something new, something colorful, something--by today's standards--outrageous. And nothing exemplifies this style change more than album covers from Swedish bands. There are several websites dedicated to these "fashions." I found a good one: HERE.

But, according to the book Abba: The Official Photo Book, the reason the band were dressed so over-the-top had less to do with branding or pop culture, but with taxes (you can read an article talking about it: HERE...). In the 1970s in Sweden, if you could prove that the outfits you wore on stage would not be considered something you'd wear on the street, you could save on taxes. Traditionally, Scandinavian countries are known for having high tax rates so this claim sounds credible.

My friend posted a tweet with a picture of ABBA today. It reminded me of the tax story I'd heard a few months back. If it's true or not, it makes for a good story...

Or blog post.

"Mamma Mia"...What A Show!

Wednesday night my daughter and I went to the theatre. Usually, when she and I get in the car to go to a theatre, we're usually in the show, not watching, but she's now in college and I'm involved in other things, so being in a show together might not be something we do very often anymore.

But Wednesday night wasn't about us, it was about seeing friends Missy and Adam (and all the others...) perform in a show that had a dual purpose...entertainment and hope.

A few miles down the road form us is a building that houses The Hopebox Theatre. I believe it was originally built as a nursery. It then was transformed into a church, and now, it's a place for live performances. Interesting...it's always been a place where life is celebrated and encouraged.

The Hopebox Theatre's mission can be found on their website and you can access it by clicking: HERE. Having been involved in numerous community theater productions over the years, what they are doing is nothing short of a miracle. It's hard enough to put on a show and keep a theater open, but to voluntarily give away proceeds from the take, that's beyond selfless.

Mamma Mia...I don't know a lot of shows like it. I had only seen the movie so I had an understanding of what I was in for. The space inside the theatre was small, or to use a better word, intimate. It's a small-ish cast, but they filled the space and made the room come alive. Since I'm a child of the 1970s, the music was part of my youth, and I had to hold back from just singing along with them, as I'd do if the song came on the radio while I'm driving.

The performances were so honest. They really believe in the mission of the theatre, and it came through in what we saw. If I had to find a weakness, it had nothing to do with the performers or the theatre--it's in the musical itself. I can't imagine a harder thing to do than to write a story around world famous songs. Modern musicals are so good at creating the arc, each song building off each other, the story contributing until acting and dialogue and music come together, the synergy making each more effective. Mamma Mia just doesn't have it sometimes, at least, for me.

The show runs until February 23rd. If you want to have a great time at a reasonable price, check it out. I'll bet you'll be wanting to belt out the songs as well.