Mamma Mia!

Synopsis

Based on the Songs of ABBA Mamma Mia opened in London over 10 years ago and has played to packed houses ever since.

Written by Catherine Johnson, Mamma Mia the musical is composed by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, former members of Abba.

Through the story telling magic Abba's songs, the Mamma Mia musical is the story of Donna, a feisty forty-something single mum, who recalls the distant memories of carefree days and careless nights whilst her daughter Sophie dreams of tradition and romance.

On the eve of Sophie's wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings 3 men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.

Mamma Mia songs include The Winner Takes It All, Money Money Money, Dancing Queen, Chiquitita, Voulez Vous, S.O.S, Thank You for the Music, Knowing Me Knowing You and, of course, Mamma Mia.

The musical opened in the West End at the Prince Edward Theatre in April 1999 and transferred to the current Mamma Mia theatre, the Prince of Wales in June 2004.

The show is directed by Phyllida Lloyd with choreography by Anthony Van Laast.

Worldwide the Mamma Mia musical opened on Broadway in October 2001 and as of 2010, the musical has been performed in thirteen languages: English, German, Norwegian, Japanese, Dutch, Korean, Spanish, Swedish and Russian, French, Danish, Italian and Portuguese.

In addition to London and Broadway, Mamma Mia the musical has been also seen in Toronto, Hamburg, Tokyo, Utrecht, Las Vegas, Seoul, Stuttgart, Madrid, Osaka, Daegu, Stockholm, Antwerp, Moscow, Seongnam, Gothenburg, Fukuoka, Berlin, Barcelona, Nagoya, Mexico, and Milan in addition to many Mamma Mia tours.

Over 45 million people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music that makes this the ultimate feel-good show so get your Mamma Mia London tickets and you too can have the time of your life!

Our Review:

7 April 2009

Mamma mia! Ten years on and this blockbuster catalogue musical that has spawned countless imitators is still in super-trouper-duper shape. I haven’t had so much fun in a theatre since … well, it was probably five years ago, at this show’s fifth birthday.

Since the Abba musical first opened on 6 April 1999, some 19 Mamma Mia! stage productions have been mounted around the world and it’s become a celluloid success care of Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth. If nothing else, returning to the original London production now reminds me just how poor that big-budget Hollywood version is by comparison with its stage progenitor – which is so much naughtier, fresher, funnier and all-round better.

The tenth birthday cast boasts one of the most picture-perfect mother-daughter pairings in Linzi Hateley and Katie Brayben as Donna and Sophie, both blonde-bobbed, bolshy and full of infectious energy. Elsewhere, Joanna Monro a...

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Latest User Review

Timothy Winey - 19 June 2011:

What an extraordinary night. The Pantheon is definitely undergoing a major expansion! Sally Ann Triplett is, quite simply, a goddess. As for the much anticipated return of Kim Ismay, despite my wife having regaled me with tales of Kim’s legendary exploits, I decided to reserve judgement with a healthy dose of scepticism until seeing and hearing her in the flesh; after all, my wife also once claimed, somewhat hyperbolically that Mamma Mia actually cured her depression! After seeing how much Kim Ismay Tanya adds to the show, if not reinvents it altogether, I’m actually planning to make a special trip to focus on her exclusively, as her masterful portrayal of Tanya is literally a show within a show, and what a show it is. Every time I tore my eyes away from Kim, even for a nano second, I did so with anticipated, then confirmed, regret, as I invariably missed one of her unique colorations of an almost unsettlingly realistic character. Indeed, her portrayal seemed so “real,” I had convinced myself that Kim was actually not an actress at all, but the world’s greatest impressionist imitating the “actual” Tanya (if there were such a person). Barring some kind of “Tanya Exorcism,” I fully expect Kim to continue “oozing” the spirit of her expertly crafted character for many shows to come. As for Tonya and Rosie’s chiquitita duet, it was, by a country mile, the most pitch-perfect I’ve heard, and dashed off with such aplomb, I actually believed it cheered Donna up with its delicate balance of humour and tenderness, capturing the poignant consequences of Donna’s life altering youthful indiscretion with her simultaneous over-reaction about the final outcome; after all, things could have been much worse (rainy housing estates, for one). The conviction of Chiquetita and Sally Ann’s acting prowess, made Donna’s “cheering up” seemed truly spontaneous, which is no small feat given the abruptness of the transition from Chiquitita to Dancing Queen. In the past, I have criticised those who belittled Mamma Mia as mere “string” upon which the pearls of timeless ABBA tunes are “strung.” If there ever was any truth in such criticisms, there can’t be now. The almost other-worldly ways in which Sally Ann transported me with her pulsating vocal and dramatic Mesmerism made me feel 50 pounds lighter. To call Mamma Mia mere “entertainment” would be like calling the Mona Lisa, a doodle. Sally Ann, Kim, Joanna, Sky, Sophie and Sam so expertly splash their coordinated colours and textures on their shared canvas, it’s as if 6 Jackson Pollok’s were thrown together to create a Rembrandt. The new Sophie’s (Dani De Waal) performance was exquisite. Her vocals were pitch-perfect with a beautifully refined tone and expressive phrasing without being self-indulgent. This Sophie could have easily gotten smothered among the larger than life Dynamos of this cast, but more than holds her own without over-stating her character. I found her very likeable and believable without “demanding” to be liked. There was a quiet confidence (not arrogance) which, in my sometimes not so humble opinion, struck the perfect balance of competence and vulnerability. William Tapley as Sam weren’t no chopped liver either. His vocal facility brought a renewed richness to his role and the production as a whole. The role of Sky played by Craig Fletcher was refreshingly well acted, well sung and appropriately understated. I found this Sky and Sophie combination to be completely believable, so much so, that a part of me cannot help but wonder if there isn’t more to their relationship, particularly given how new this cast is? Far be it from me to start tongues wagging, but they are so good together, I cannot help but wonder if art may be imitating life to a degree in this case? As I told Benny and Bjorn after the 10th anniversary party (half joking) that Mamma Mia cured my wife’s depression, which garnered a few chuckles tinged with skepticism. Despite their laughter, I believe that great music and drama have power to heal. That being said, any shrink will tell you that absence of depression does not equal happiness. Well boys, whether you think I’m kidding or not, this particular cast went well past a cure of depression and crossed over into the realm of actually making my wife happy; not just for a day or two, but for the foreseeable future. How long will this inoculation last? Only time will tell, but a booster shot is only a ticket away! And yes, I am deducting this latest performance from my taxes as a legitimate medical expense. Sincerely, ...

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