★★★★ Mamma Mia!: A Greek summer of musical laughter
“I can still recall our last summer…”
We may be headed into Autumn, but our souls are still in Summer, on a Greek island, singing ABBA songs in the sun…
From London to Broadway and the world, Mamma Mia! first premiered in 1999, dazzling audiences with ABBA songs, fun storytelling, and feel-good atmosphere. Since then the show has toured all over the world, complemented by the Hollywood film adaptation in 2008, and continues its long-running reign today.
We went into the performance expecting a fun, jolly time, and that is exactly what we got. We loved the film and must say the stage performance is even better, with more songs! The music flowed seamlessly into the plot and dialogue, and each of the cast had a phenomenal voice. Particularly Hazel Baldwin as Sophie and Jenn Griffin as Donna, harmonising beautifully with the rest of the cast and ensemble. They made the characters their own and really sold the mother-daughter dynamic - with all its frustrations and love.
The light and loose outfits added to the Greek ambience (only outperformed by the sparkly, colourful costumes later as Donna and the Dynamos reunite), backdropped against the whitewashed structure acting as the set. The white and blue lighting for most scenes fit in with the theme, while the reds and greens reflected the darker of the characters’ psychology and moods.
We particularly liked the use of spotlights and freeze frames, jumping in and out of scenes to focus on emotional conversations, Sophie building her relationship with her dads, the quiet intimacy contrasting with the loud, party atmosphere around them.
The friends and ensemble all held their own, from Tanya and Rosie to Eddie and Pepper, each bringing their own type of comedy, which meshed hilariously together during the 'Does Your Mother Know?' number for one long dirty joke.
Despite how long it’s been running, it felt both modernised and like it was the 90s, remaining authentic to the original performance while still feeling relevant now.
The show expertly balanced humour, heartbreak and party, evoking tears of sentiment and laughter throughout. Singing and dancing with the cast at the end felt like the most connecting end to a show that has meant so much to people over the last two decades. I didn’t want it to end!
If you want a good time, full of laughter and fun, head to see Mamma Mia! at the Lyceum while it’s still showing.
