Twenty-five years after it originally opened in London, Mamma Mia is still packing them in at the Novello Theatre, and it’s easy to see why.
An infectiously joyous night out
A story of a young girl’s quest to find out who her father is before she gets married is shoehorned around ABBA’s massive canon of hits in what has proved to be the most successful jukebox musical of all time.
Sophie lives on a Greek island with her mother, Donna. She has found her mum’s old diary, which gives her clues to the possible identity of her dad. She invites all three – pretending to be Donna – to her wedding. As the action plays out, any one of Bill, Sam or Harry could be Sophie’s father. At various points, Sophie is convinced she’s found the one; but we never actually learn the truth – and that doesn’t really matter anyway.
It’s easy to deride a show like Mamma Mia as just froth, but the truth is, it’s actually really good. Playwright Catherine Johnson has managed to fit the plot around the songs in a way that doesn’t feel hackneyed. And these are all songs that have slipped into our subconscious over the last 40 years, so it’s difficult not to be tapping your feet when Dancing Queen comes on. The set is simple but effective; the costumes sparkle; the vocals are first class, and the ensemble boys are prone to losing their tops. What’s not to love?
If you’ve dismissed Mamma Mia because you thought it a little trite, trust me – take a look. It’s an infectiously joyous night out and way better than you think.