Review: Kristina

If I told you that last night I went to see a musical featuring songs about lice, miscarriages and a stove, you might think I had taken leave of my senses. But if I told you that the songs were written by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson you might understand my decision. Kristina fran Duvemala has, up until now, only been seen in Sweden. Indeed, it is the most popular Swedish musical ever - bigger even than Mamma Mia.

Actually, the version I saw at the Royal Albert Hall last night was not the full musical, it was a concert. The story of the musical concerns emigration from Sweden to the United States in the 1850s. It tells of a family's decision to embark on the 90 day trip and what happens when they reach the promised land. It's a traumatic two and a half hours in many ways - a real emotional roller coaster, but the music lives up to expectations. If you're expecting Abba yiu'll be disappointed. But if you enjoyed CHESS, you'll find more than an echo of it in some of the songs in Kristina.

More news on Kristina and the new British theatre tour of CHESS can be found on the Icethesite.