I’d seen the film adaptation of MAMMA MIA! back in 2008 with my mother, as I’m sure many others did who had seen the glorious ABBA-spangled years of the 70’s. Not usually a fan of cheese dialled up to gorgonzola I had gone into the cinema that day with a touch of skepticism, however I’d left feeling lifted by the rejuvenated classics of ‘Chiquitita’,‘Does your Mother Know’ and ‘Lay Your Love on Me’, and there was something oddly charming about Pierce Brosnan playing the antithesis of Bond that just felt so right. Nine years on and MAMMA MIA! has returned in its original theatrical format, with a distinctly summery feel, whisking us away to that fateful Greek island paradise…
In short, this show is fantastic. Everything from the simplistic but highly effective and adaptive set design, to the simultaneously minimalist and elaborate costuming, not to mention the phenomenal casting and performing itself. Considering this is an adaptation of an adaption, I can confidently proclaim, ‘Meryl who?! A performance such as this allows you to forget not only the film on which it is based, but that it is anything but the immersive experience you behold on the night, bearing witness to what is a most amusing love pentagon.
The story itself is performed brilliantly by the aforementioned cast, viscerally effective to the extent that the stories of the characters inweave themselves into my own experiences. I saw the chic Tanya in my sister-in-law and Sophie and Sky’s relationship in my own. By the end of the show I felt like inviting myself backstage to greet the cast as if they were old friends.
I loved the cast’s playful interactions with the live band (who I could not fault by the way) subtly breaking the fourth wall and making it difficult to distinguish between the music they were singing along to and the music that they claimed as their own. Even the scene transitions were smoothly and stylishly performed by the chorus.
By the end everyone in the audience were on their feet, beating one hand against another in a jubilant rendition of Waterloo with enough gusto to blow the roof off. I must commend the sheer athleticism of the actors and actresses on stage consistently hurling themselves hither and thither to the music from start to finish, thrusting ABBA once more to the forefront of relevance.
The coincidental (or not) eye candy being lavishly dished out at all angles and positions is also a pleasant addition to what was already a feast for the eyes.
Having said all this, the most important and fulfilling aspect that this show delivers for me is girl-power that transcends generations, in friendship and in family. An uncensored and real love that is rarely distributed in the everyday film and television we consume: The kind that makes you want to call your mum, make amends with a cousin you never saw eye to eye with, or gives you the motivation to reach out to female familiars for that sense of sorority shared by the women in this show. And that’s powerful.
Beams of light reflecting hundreds of smiles and the resounding applause accompanied by a standing ovation congratulate the cast, crew and direction of a Mamma Mia truly well done. By Bjorn, they’ve done it, and they’ve done it brilliantly.
For full details about the MAMMA MIA! tour, click here.