MAMMA MIA! has landed at the New Theatre in Cardiff and it’s fair to say that we’ve all been more than ready for this. If I’m not mistaken it’s around 12 years since we’ve had this little beauty in the Capital and it’s well worth the wait.
The show is in town for the next three weeks and judging by tickets sales it seems most of the musical theatre going population of South Wales have been eagerly waiting for its ‘ARRIVAL‘.
Incidentally, Arrival is also the title of the ABBA album which gave us some of the biggest songs in this production – ‘Money, Money, Money‘, ‘Dancing Queen‘, and ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You‘, to name three.
In a show which is crammed full of the aforementioned Swedish groups biggest hits, 25 if you’re counting, you could be mistaken for thinking this is just another Jukebox Musical, simply parading out the hits with a tenuous story to hold them together. If you think that, then it’s clear you’ve not seen the movies, or indeed the show live on stage – which is still the best way in my opinion.
First of all, here’s what last night’s thought about the performance.
Just by chance we also bumped into the Humberstone family. FREYA HUMBERSTONE is in the show playing Lisa, and also Sophie on occasions. We spoke to her Mum, Cousin, Aunty and little Sister, who were understandably proud to watch Freya doing her thing on the New Theatre stage.
So, if you’ve been tucked away living remotely on a Greek Island for the last twenty years and know nothing about MAMMA MIA! here’s the plot. And I can tell you, it’s a real whodunnit, or maybe a bit of a whoishe, with more twists and turns than the Megafobia rollercoaster at Oakwood.
The story takes place on a gorgeous Greek island, with Sophie (JESSIE MICHELMORE), who is about to get married to Sky (CHRISTOPHER FOLEY), she may be certain about tying the knot (ish), what she isn’t so sure about is who she actually is.
Yes, her Mum Donna (SARA POYZER) is everything you’d want in a single Mother, fun, feisty and fiercely independent, what she isn’t however, is Sophie’s Dad, and it’s Daddy that Sophie wants to walk her down the aisle.
That’s simple, or so you’d think. For two reasons, Sophie doesn’t know who her father is and for that matter, Donna’s isn’t exactly certain. There’s three guys in the running Bill (PHIL CORBITT), Sam (RICHARD STANDING) and Harry (NATHAN SCOTT). Three very different men with one common bond, they each had a dalliance with Donna nine months prior to little Sophie’s arrival (that word again).
Incidentally, we interviewed Sara just before she arrived in Cardiff. You can watch that interview in our special show feature HERE.
So that’s where the ‘whoishe‘ part of the show comes in. Sophie is trying to work out which of the men is the one true Dad, while Donna is trying to work out what the hell they are doing on her little piece of Greek heaven.
What is so great about Mamma Mia!, and there is a lot believe me, is that it’s all about relationships. The songs are undoubtedly brilliant, who doesn’t love a Benny and Björn sing-a-long hit. The sets are relatively simple but really effective, and the costumes are summer-sun colourful. In fact you’ll be diving into your phone to book your next summer holiday once you leave the theatre. But what is so captivating is the bond between our main players. This is a story about people, and real life relationship stuff which can affect us all.
There’s the obvious Mother and Daughter connection which Jess and Sara capture so well. From the off we are totally invested in their characters and rooting for each of them, for slightly differing reasons. Sara really belts out emotional show favourites ‘Slipping Through My Fingers‘ and ‘The Winner Takes It All‘.
Jess gets more than her fair share of ABBA faves too, opening with ‘I Have A Dream‘ and ‘Thank You For The Music’, which she performs with her potential Papa’s.
The three would be father’s have great chemistry but when you drop Donna’s Super-Trooper friends into the mix, the comedy really steps up a gear.
Tanya (SARAH EARNSHAW) and Rosie (NICKY SWIFT), along with Donna, were in a Spicey Girl band called The Dynamos in their younger days. When they get together again, in true dynamo fashion, they light up the stage. I must give a special mention to Sarah who had us in hysterics on more than one occasion. She has some of the best lines and delivers them with perfect comedic timing.
There is a proper story happening among all the partying, flirting and who’s the Daddy shenanigans. Book writer CATHERINE JOHNSON has skilfully integrated the plot around these much-loved classic songs, and with the tiniest rewrite on a few of the lyrics makes them a seamless fit and not the occasional groaning clunk you can get in some jukebox musicals.
MAMMA MIA! is an absolute joy from the first note through to the three song, stand on your feet, dance and sing-a-long encore. I ought to add that us in the audience were pretty damn good too, and as much a part of the experience as the 2 hours 35 minutes the professionals perform for us.
Don’t you dare leave early, you’ll miss a part of the experience which was the forerunner of all sing-a-long finales.
It’s a huge cast, with an ensemble who’ll make you wish you could pack your bags and head off on holiday with them. Take a look at our full show feature HERE.
If we could get another ticket we’d be singing ‘Here I Go Again‘ all the way to the New Theatre. No chances taken here, I guarantee you’ll be in for one of the best musical nights of your life. The show is feel-good happy from start to finish where ‘The Name Of The Game‘ is simply fun and laughter.
Do I love Mamma Mia! Oh ‘I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do‘.
MAMMA MIA! is at the New Theatre in Cardiff till Saturday 4th March. Tickets start at £20.00. Performances are at 7:30pm each evening with 2:30pm matinees on Thursday and Saturday. For more details, and to get yours, go HERE.
There’s also Accessible Performances:
Audio Described – Saturday 4th March at 2:30pm
British Sign Language – Saturday 25th February at 2:30pm
