FROM their mannerisms and pitch to their Scandinavian lilt, capturing the likeness of pop behemoth Abba is no mean feat.

So when a swarm of fans in the grips of feverish Abba -mania waded into the ocean fully dressed chasing a baffled ‘Benny’ and ‘Frida’, cameras snapping away to immortalise the Swedish sensation’s historic reunion in India, the performers couldn’t help but feel a tinge of pride.

They had fooled, if not an entire continent, at least a (fairly gullible)Indian community through the sheer might of their Abba tribute act.

“We were touring in India and we had a day off so we went to the beach; we were minding our own business when they started wading in fully clothed with cameras,” laughs Vikki Holland-Bowyer, who created The Abba Reunion Tribute Show with partner Greg Stevenson 10 years ago.

“There were big billboards of us everywhere but we don’t know to this day whether it was the hype of the show or whether they thought we were actually Abba.”

After conquering crowds as Frida on the West End and around the globe with Abba Mania, Vikki took the decision to produce and direct her own tribute act. A fierce Abba fan flaunting her allegiance since childhood, even when doing so was considered the height of uncool, she enlisted her partner and professional keyboard player Greg Stevenson.

“It definitely was not cool to be an Abba fan but I’ve loved Abba since I was about eight,” says Vikki. At the time they were seen as a bit geeky.”

“They were pop not rock,” sums up Greg, who plays Benny. “No-one would admit to being an Abba fan. But when you study the arrangements and the way they wrote the songs, the work that went into producing them, you really feel that these people were geniuses.”

Waddling in flamboyant costumes and belting out the timeless tracks does not an Abba member make.

The most eagled-eyed denizens would see straight through the sequins.

Reclaiming Abba’s magnetic stage presence involved a thorough study – courtesy of YouTube’s extensive footage library - of the bandmates’ body language, quirks and even their shortcomings; not least Frida’s rather stunted hip thrusts.

“It had to be a very authentic show,” adds Vikki. “I wanted the actors to actually be the characters on stage. They couldn’t just be dressed like Abba and sing their songs. We had to show their personalities, how they interacted with each other.

“It was quite embarrassing when I first started playing Frida. She is fantastic but she does the weirdest hips movements. But you take on that role with everything it means.

“The hardest thing for me was the accent. When they talk there is often a lot of pausing so they can think of the words in English. So we had to make it staccato - if we had made it too fluent it would not have been believable.”

The show follows the band’s 1977 and 1979 world tours and culminates in a rendition of Waterloo, as performed at the Eurovision – the very moment that propelled Abba to global fame.

While Benny and Frida’s marriage broke down at the height of the group’s success, Vikki and Greg have struck a healthy life and work balance. In fact not only has their relationship held strong but they have now officially toured together far longer than Abba ever did in its heyday.

“We spend 24/7 together and we get on really well although I’m one of those creative people that leaves a trail of destruction behind and Greg is very organised,” confesses Vikki. “But it helps with the chemistry on stage. Frida and Benny were cheeky ones.”

Thanks to one of her fans and the real Frida’s very own penpal, Vikki recently came in possession of the singer’s home address. She is now working up the courage to send her an invitation to one of Abba Reunion’s performances.

“ Can you image asking her to come and watch me being her?” she exclaims. “To have the person you’re impersonating right in front of you would be weird. But I will write to her... one day.”

The Abba Reunion Tribute Show will come to the Wyvern Theatre on July 5 at 7.30pm. To book call 01793 524481 or visit swindontheatres.co.uk.