Abbacadabra is the name of a French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 children's musical

Musical theatre

Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...

 based on songs from the pop

Pop music

Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...

 group ABBA, originally produced for French television in 1983 by Alain and Daniel Boublil

Alain Boublil

Alain Boublil is a musical theatre lyricist and librettist, best known for his collaborations with the composer Claude-Michel Schönberg for musicals on Broadway and London's West End...

, but which was later also transferred to an English stage version and two other television programs.

French television version

The French TV production consisted of 14 ABBA songs with new French lyrics by Alain & Daniel Boublil, and the story was based on classic fairy tale

Fairy tale

A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...

s like Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault or Little Briar Rose by the Brothers Grimm is a classic fairytale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment, and a handsome prince...

, Cinderella

Cinderella

"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...

, Pinocchio

Pinocchio

The Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial between 1881 and 1883, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio , an...

, Snow White

Snow White

"Snow White" is a fairy tale known from many countries in Europe, the best known version being the German one collected by the Brothers Grimm...

 and others. The cast was made up of children and well known French singers like Fabienne Thibeault

Fabienne Thibeault

Fabienne Thibeault is a Canadian singer. She is particularly known for her role in Starmania. Thibeault has released numerous albums over her career. She has been the recipient of two Félix Awards.-History:...

, Daniel Balavoine

Daniel Balavoine

Daniel Balavoine was a French singer and songwriter. He was hugely popular in the French-speaking world, and inspired many singers in the 1980s, such as Jean-Jacques Goldman, and Michel Berger, his closest friend...

, Plastic Bertrand

Plastic Bertrand

Plastic Bertrand is a Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor and television presenter, best known for the 1977 international hit single "Ça plane pour moi".-Early life and bands:...

, Maurice Barrier, Daniel Boublil (as 'Daniel Beaufixe'), Francoise Pourcel (as Marie Framboise), Catherine Ferry

Catherine Ferry (singer)

Catherine Ferry is a French singer.In 1976, at the Eurovision Song Contest, Catherine Ferry represented France with the song "1,2,3 " . She ranked second in the contest...

, Stéphane Le Navelan, Stéphane Boublil (son of Alain), Clémentine Autain

Clémentine Autain

Clémentine Autain is a French politician and a feminist, born on May 26, 1973 in Saint-Cloud. She is also co-editor of the monthly publication Regards with Roger Martelli and is co-secretary of the Fondation Copernic....

 and Emmanuelle Pailly.

Frida

Anni-Frid Lyngstad

Anni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...

 from ABBA

ABBA

ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...

 was invited to play the part of "Belle au bois dormant" (Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault or Little Briar Rose by the Brothers Grimm is a classic fairytale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment, and a handsome prince...

), and recorded the song (a cover of ABBA's 1976 instrumental track "Arrival

Arrival

The Arrival may refer to:* The Arrival , a 1996 science fiction film starring Charlie Sheen* "The Arrival" , an episode of The Twilight Zone* "Arrival" , first episode of The Prisoner...

") "Belle" as a duet with Daniel Balavoine

Daniel Balavoine

Daniel Balavoine was a French singer and songwriter. He was hugely popular in the French-speaking world, and inspired many singers in the 1980s, such as Jean-Jacques Goldman, and Michel Berger, his closest friend...

.

Abbacadabra was originally broadcast on the French TV channel TF1

TF1

TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...

 over Christmas

Christmas

Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...

, 1983.

A soundtrack album

Soundtrack album

A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...

, entitled ABBAcadabra: Conte musical, featuring songs and narration from the production, was produced in 1983 as well. According to liner notes on the album cover, arrangements and musical direction were provided by Raymond Donnez and production by Alain Boublil with assistance by Raymond Donnez, Daniel Boublil, and Françoise Pourcel. The album was released by WEA Filipacchi Music in France and WEA Music of Canada in Québec.

Songs

• Qu'est-ce que j'vais faire plus tard / When I Kissed the Teacher
• Délivrés / The Visitors (Crackin' Up)
• Abbacadabra / Take a Chance on Me
• Mon nez mon nez / Money Money Money
• Tête d'allumette / Super Trouper
• Imagine-moi / I Wonder (Departure)
• Carabosse super show / Dancing Queen
• Pareils et mêmes / I Let the Music Speak
• L'enfant do / Fernando
• Lâchez mes cassettes / I'm a Marionette
• Belle / Arrival
• Envoyez le générique / Thank You for the Music

The London spectacle

Cameron Mackintosh

Cameron Mackintosh

Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh is a British theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world" by the New York...

 decided to produce an English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 version of the TV show with lyrics by David Wood

David Wood (actor)

David Wood OBE is an English-born actor and writer, called "the National Children's Dramatist" by The Times.He was educated at Chichester High School For Boys and Worcester College, Oxford....

, Mike Batt

Mike Batt

Michael Philip "Mike" Batt is a British songwriter, musician, producer and Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry...

, and Don Black. Benny Andersson

Benny Andersson

Göran Bror "Benny" Andersson is a Swedish musician, composer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...

 and Björn Ulvaeus

Björn Ulvaeus

Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...

, who wrote the songs in ABBA

ABBA

ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...

, contributed with one new song, "The Seeker." Frida

Anni-Frid Lyngstad

Anni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...

 recorded "Time," an English version of "Belle"/"Arrival," as a duet with B. A. Robertson

B. A. Robertson

B. A. Robertson is a Scottish musician, actor, composer and songwriter.-Career:...

.

The musical premiered December 8, 1983 at the Lyric Hammersmith

Lyric Hammersmith

The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on King Street, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which takes pride in its original, "groundbreaking" productions....

 theatre in London, to mixed reviews and full houses for 8 weeks, closing on January 21, 1984. Among the actors were Elaine Paige

Elaine Paige

Elaine Paige OBE is an English singer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, North London, Paige attended the Aida Foster stage school, making her first professional appearance on stage in 1964, at the age of 16...

, Michael Praed

Michael Praed

Michael Praed born Michael David Prince, 1 April 1960 in Berkeley, Gloucestershire) is a British actor, is probably best known for his role as Robin of Loxley in the British television series Robin of Sherwood, which attained cult status worldwide in the 1980s...

, Finola Hughes

Finola Hughes

Finola Hughes is an English actress, television host, author and former dancer, best known for role as Anna Devane on the General Hospital, All My Children and General Hospital: Night Shift , and her role as Anna Devane's identical twin sister, Doctor Alexandra Devane Marick, on All My Children...

, B.A. Robertson, and Jenna Russell

Jenna Russell

Jenna Russell is an English actress and singer. She has appeared on the stage in London in both musicals and dramas, as well as appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company...

. Elaine Paige recorded a single, "Like An Image Passing By," a cover of ABBA's My Love, My Life

My Love, My Life

My Love, My Life is a compilation album released in 1996 of Agnetha Fältskog named after the ABBA song "My Love, My Life". The two-disc set features all her Swedish-language hits plus a small selection of later English language songs, including a few ABBA songs,from her favourite , such as "My...

.

English songs

• Another World (Take A Chance On Me
  Take a Chance on Me
  "Take a Chance on Me" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in 1978 as the second single from their fifth studio album, simply called The Album. The song has been featured on a number of ABBA compilations such as ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits.-History:The working title of "Take a...
  
  )
• Battle of The Brooms (Money, Money, Money
  Money, Money, Money
  "Money, Money, Money", originally "Gypsy Girl", is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. The song, like most ABBA songs, was written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. It was released as a single on November 1, 1976, as the follow-up single to "Dancing Queen, both from the album Arrival...
  
  )
• I Am The Seeker
  (I Am) The Seeker
  The Seeker is a song written by ABBA composers Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson towards the end of the group's career. The song was however not recorded by ABBA, but was 'given' by the composers to be included in the 1983 London staging of the originally French musical "Abbacadabra", based on 14...
  
   (new song)
• I Can Pull Some Strings (The Piper
  Super Trouper (album)
  Super Trouper is the seventh studio album by Swedish pop group ABBA, first released in 1980 .-Overview:Led by the international hit "The Winner Takes It All", Super Trouper was the group's sixth chart-topping album in the UK. It was also the best-selling album in Britain for 1980...
  
  )
• Going Going Gone (On and On and On
  On and On and On
  "On and On and On" is a pop song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA in 1980 for their Super Trouper album.The track, which had working titles "Esses vad det svänger när man spelar jazz" and "'Til the Night is Gone", was released as a single in a few countries, namely the United States, Japan,...
  
  )
• Making Magic (Super Trouper
  Super Trouper (song)
  -A-Teens version:"Super Trouper" was A-Teens' second single from their 1st album The ABBA Generation, a cover of ABBA's song. When the single came out in the fall of 1999, it became a hit around the globe, just as its predecessor "Mamma Mia", also an ABBA cover...
  
  )
• When Dreamers Close Their Eyes (Like An Angel Passing Through My Room
  Like An Angel Passing Through My Room
  Unlike many other ABBA songs, the final mix of the track was sparsely produced - the entire track consisting of the soloist's vocals, synthesized strings, and a music box melody...
  
  )
• Belonging (I Let The Music Speak)
• Back Home Now (Fernando
  Fernando (song)
  "Fernando" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was the group's first non-album single and was released in November 1975 through Polar Music. Lead vocals were sung by Anni-Frid Lyngstad...
  
  )
• Carabosse Supershow (Dancing Queen
  Dancing Queen
  "Dancing Queen" is a pop song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in August 1976, but was first performed two months earlier, on 18 June 1976, during a Royal Variety Show in Stockholm the evening before the Swedish royal wedding. It was the follow-up single to the hit "Fernando"...
  
  )
• Think Of Something Fast (I'm A Marionette
  I'm a Marionette
  "I'm a Marionette" is a song recorded by the Swedish pop qroup ABBA from their fifth album, "ABBA: The Album". Written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, this song was part of a mini-musical called “The Girl with the Golden Hair” that ABBA performed at several of their live concerts...
  
  )
• Time (Arrival)
• Like An Image Passing By (My Love, My Life
  My Love, My Life
  My Love, My Life is a compilation album released in 1996 of Agnetha Fältskog named after the ABBA song "My Love, My Life". The two-disc set features all her Swedish-language hits plus a small selection of later English language songs, including a few ABBA songs,from her favourite , such as "My...
  
  )
• Thank You For The Magic (Thank You For The Music
  Thank You for the Music
  "Thank You for the Music" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally featured on the group's fifth studio album ABBA: The Album and was released as a single on November 6, 1983, to promote the Epic Records compilation album Thank You for the Music: A Collection of Love Songs...
  
  )
• Finale

The Dutch version

A Dutch version of this musical was recorded at the end of 1984 with José Hoebee

José Hoebee

José Hoebee is a Dutch pop female singer. She is part of Luv' . In late 1981, she went solo and was successful in her homeland and in the Flanders region of Belgium between 1982 and 1985...

 and Marga Scheide

Marga Scheide

Marga Scheide is a Dutch former model and a singer. She is a member of the girl group Luv'....

 (of Dutch girl group

Girl group

A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...

 Luv'

Luv'

Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...

) and aired on TV in 1985. Not all the songs were recorded, but the LP featured the same songs as the French Version. The album was recorded with Ron Brandsteder, Bonnie St Claire, Benny Neyman

Benny Neyman

Wilhelmus Albertus Neyman was a Dutch singer.-Biography:...

, Marga Scheide

Marga Scheide

Marga Scheide is a Dutch former model and a singer. She is a member of the girl group Luv'....

, José Hoebee

José Hoebee

José Hoebee is a Dutch pop female singer. She is part of Luv' . In late 1981, she went solo and was successful in her homeland and in the Flanders region of Belgium between 1982 and 1985...

, Nico Haak, Willem Duijn, Bianca Folkers, Nancy Dubbeldam & Willem Duijn

Dutch songs

• "Als Ik Later Groot Ben" (When I Kissed The Teacher)
• "Wij Zijn Vrij" (The Visitors
  The Visitors (song)
  "The Visitors", originally "Den första" , was the final single release from Swedish pop group ABBA's studio album of the same name, released in the United States in 1982...
  
  )
• Abbacadabra (Take A Chance On Me
  Take a Chance on Me
  "Take a Chance on Me" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in 1978 as the second single from their fifth studio album, simply called The Album. The song has been featured on a number of ABBA compilations such as ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits.-History:The working title of "Take a...
  
  )
• Me Neus, Me Neus (Money Money Money)
• Het Liedje Van Alladin (Super Trouper
  Super Trouper (album)
  Super Trouper is the seventh studio album by Swedish pop group ABBA, first released in 1980 .-Overview:Led by the international hit "The Winner Takes It All", Super Trouper was the group's sixth chart-topping album in the UK. It was also the best-selling album in Britain for 1980...
  
  )
• Spiegel (I Wonder (Departure))
• De Kokende Spoken Show (Dancing Queen
  Dancing Queen
  "Dancing Queen" is a pop song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in August 1976, but was first performed two months earlier, on 18 June 1976, during a Royal Variety Show in Stockholm the evening before the Swedish royal wedding. It was the follow-up single to the hit "Fernando"...
  
  )
• Toen Ik Een Wolfje Was (I Let The Music Speak)
• Naar Huis Toe (Fernando
  Fernando (song)
  "Fernando" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was the group's first non-album single and was released in November 1975 through Polar Music. Lead vocals were sung by Anni-Frid Lyngstad...
  
  )
• Geef Die Banden Terug (I'm A Marionette)
• Bij Mij (Arrival)
• Laat Het Feest Beginnen (Thank You For The Music
  Thank You for the Music
  "Thank You for the Music" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally featured on the group's fifth studio album ABBA: The Album and was released as a single on November 6, 1983, to promote the Epic Records compilation album Thank You for the Music: A Collection of Love Songs...
  
  )

Portuguese songs

• Que Mal Fizemos Nós (When I Kissed The Teacher)
• O Sonho De Joao (The Visitors)
• Abbacadabra (Take A Chance On Me)
• O Nariz De Pinóquio (Money Money Money)
• Aladin Fanfarrão (Super Trouper)
• Branca De Neve E O Espelho (I Wonder (Departure))
• Rainha Má Superstar (Dancing Queen)
• Cinderela E O Soldadinho (I Let The Music Speak)
• Os Amigos (Fernando)
• Larguem A Cassette (I'm A Marionette)
• Branca De Neve E O Principezinho (Arrival)
• Não Basta Ralhar (Thank You For The Music)

Cast

Aladin : Fernando

Alice : Suzy Paula

Blanche Neige : Maria Joao

Cendrillon : Helena Ramos

Pinocchio : Nuno Gomes Dos Santos

Jose Nuno Martins,
Antonio Manuel Ribeiro,
Lenita Gentil,
Samuel,
As gemeas,
Joao et Pedro Cabeleira