Mamma Mia The Musical
10 September 2023
Novello Theatre
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
While I had seen the musical film before, I hadn’t ventured to see the actual musical production of Mamma Mia yet. As a big ABBA fan, and a musical aficionado, this might seem like a bit of an oversight. But I just didn’t like the film very much, so hadn’t made it a priority.
However, one of the kids at work asked if I could take her to see Mamma Mia as her birthday treat, so I booked us some seats and off we went.
The musical utilizes ABBA’s catalogue of songs to tell the story of young Sophie, who grew up without a father, preparing for her big wedding. She recently found her mother Donna’s diary and found out that there are three potential fathers, all of whom she invites secretly to her wedding, posing as Donna. When the three men arrive for the wedding, a slew of confusion and reminiscing ensues.
While the characters seem a bit cliche and the story somewhat formulaic, it does work very well with the upbeat music of ABBA, belted out at every opportunity. The set is simple but effective, and the costumes are absolutely fantastic.
It may be a jukebox musical with a very silly story, but live it definitely works a lot better. The show is bright and energetic and a feast of feel-good resolutions throughout. So if you’re on the fence due to the movie, don’t let it hold you back from booking a visit to Mamma Mia, as it’s absolutely a musical that needs to be experienced live!