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The Winner Rolls It All

 
Johanna Makelainen Review by Johanna Makelainen 4 Published: 16 May 2026 The Rotunda Theatre: Bubble Show Dates: 13 May 2026-20 May 2026

The Winner Rolls It All is a fast-dealing ABBA property board game musical, because why not? The board game shall not be mentioned because if you say it three times, presumably a lawyer appears and sends you straight to jail.

An inventive ABBA board game mash-up where no one drops the dice

Directed and produced by Staunch Theatre’s Nathan Camilleri, the show takes a concept that could easily have been a fringe in-joke and turns it into something remarkably complete. ABBA songs are reworked into a story of property management, greed, romance and rebellion, with enough wit in the script to make the parody feel specific and timely.

The production needs no expensive set, elaborate props or theatrical camouflage. Performed a cappella and without vocal amplification, it relies on the cast’s precision, timing and sheer collective force. That risk pays off. The harmonies are sharp, the energy is generous and the young performers look as if they are having the time of their lives. It becomes infectious very quickly.

The game pieces are given proper character rather than existing as one-note novelty turns. The little metal icons become the emotional centre of the piece, while the property empire is ruled by the gloriously avaricious Madame Moneybags. House and Hotel are reimagined as rough enforcers, Chance and Community Chest get their moments, and even jail becomes a frequently visited location.

The ABBA references are handled with affection. Money, Money, Money fits the capitalist logic of the story almost too neatly, while Dancing Queen is reimagined as an ode to property. There are love stories too, including a nicely skewed connection between Moneybags and the lonely prison officer Fernando, and mismatched pairings between the mischievous game pieces.

The show’s real romance, however, is with ensemble performance. Everything and everyone works; nobody drops the dice. By the end, as the characters rise against Moneybags’s greed, the piece has earned both its silliness and its moral structure.

The Winner Rolls It All is ideal for parties, ABBA nostalgics and anyone who has ever taken a family board game far too seriously. It has the confidence of a show already eyeing a larger stage, so thank you for the board games!

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The Blurb:

The Winner Rolls It All is a fast-paced, high-stakes board game musical. Featuring a score parodying one of Eurovision's most iconic winners, and a book crammed with pop-culture references, think The Rocky Horror Show meets Starlight Express...but for huns. A riff on Mamma Mia! and featuring a score made up of parodies of ABBA songs, with a story about a board game that everybody is familiar with. Featuring bonds, stocks, investments, betrayal, capitalism & Gemma Collins quotes, there's something for everyone in this hilarious parody musical.