A Night to Remember: Mamma Mia! Takes the Stage
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Date Reviewed: 06/10/2023
The opening of MAMMA MIA! The Musical at the Princess Theatre was truly exhilarating. The atmosphere in the foyer before the show was filled with anticipation. The crowd was diverse and vibrant, some flaunted their glitzy 70s-inspired outfits, others simply sleek and elegant, and still others bold and outrageous. The excitement swept over the audience, setting the stage for a playful, romantic comedy that kicked off with one of ABBA’s iconic songs, “Honey, Honey”.
Even though it was a cold, miserable day in Melbourne, within an instant of the show starting, the audience was invited to experience the sunfilled beauty and blissful atmosphere of the Greek island, Kalokairi, where the story took place. Judy Craymer’s cleverly crafted concept weaved the iconic ABBA songs from the 70s into a contemporary piece of theatre. It was like the music breathed life into the characters, adding another layer to the storytelling.
The story is about a twenty-year-old Sophie (Sarah Krndija) who was getting married to Sky (Lewis Francis). Sophie never met her father, she was raised by her single mother, Donna (Elise McCann). Sophie was determined to find her father, wishing that he would walk her down the aisle! Unbeknown to her mum, Sophie found her mum's diary, where she opened her heart about three men whom she loved. Having read the diary, Sophie decided to invite all three of them to the wedding in the hope of “recognising” her father. Sophie shared this news with her besties, Lisa ( Kadesa Honeyhill) and Ali (Nina Carmen), who supported her and helped prepare for the wedding. All three men accepted the invitation and arrived on the island. There was the travel writer, Bill (Tim Wright), then, a British banker, Harry (Drew Livington), and the architect, Sam (Martin Crewes).
Over the years, Donna had embraced her singledom and was planning an unforgettable wedding for her only daughter in her idyllic taverna by the sea. It was going to be perfect. Donna invited two of her besties, Rosie (Bianca Bruce) and Tanya (Deone Zanotto). All three were in a band in their 20s called “Donna and Dynamos” and were reunited again to celebrate Sophie’s wedding. Just like Sophie and Donna, Sky also had his best friends supporting him. These were Pepper (Jordan Tomljenovic) and Eddie (Etuate Lutui). All was going well until Donna saw her former lovers arrive on the island. A whirlwind of emotions and memories turned the well-planned wedding upside down.
The cast was incredible on stage, every character was well suited for their role with the main characters played by Elise McCann and Sarah Krndija, just outstanding. They were so natural on stage that it was easy to forget that the cast was part of a well-polished, much-rehearsed show. The story was a blend of heartfelt emotions, playfulness, and fun. There were many highlights this evening and my favourite part was where Pepper showed his desire for Tanya in the song “Does Your Mother Know”, this had me in stitches and glued to the stage. Their age difference added to the tension between the provocative seductress, Deone Zanotto, and Jordan Tomljenovic, who performed wild acrobatics around her, their chemistry was electric!
The show was enriched by the nimble ensemble that filled the stage with brightness and high energy (in alphabetical order, these were: Chiara Assetta, Lily Baulderstone, Carlo Boumouglbay, Campbell Braithwaite, Emily Cascarino, Chelsea Dawson, Denise Devlin, Lauren Goetz, Matt Hamilton, Crystal Hegedis, Marie Ikonomou, Josh Mulheran, Bronson Pfeiler, Lewis Shilvock, Tom Struik, Riley Sutton, Carla Venezia and Geoffrey Winter). Under the masterful choreography of Tom Hodgson, the team displayed strength, and at times sensuality and joy - all aspects that form the richness of the story.
The sense of island life was created by the carefully designed costumes (Suzy Strout), to the last detail such as the typical Greek bracelets and sandals and then the loud, glitzy ’70s-inspired jumpsuits from back in the day of ABBA. Equally, Linda Bewick’s simple yet realistic set design created an island atmosphere. The lighting, under the direction of Gavan Swift, added a layer of brilliance and transformed the stage from day to night, from intimacy to a party. Then, between the two sets, the audience was showered with a lighting show, a breathtaking experience! Also, like the unseen essentials, the sound was pitched to flawlessness with Michael Waters's work in the background.
Having a live band on stage is often a luxury that many producers forego. However, Michael Coppel, Louise Withers, and Linda Bewick went all the way, and a powerhouse band belted out the tunes of this jukebox musical, elevating the overall experience even higher (the band: Hayden Barltrop, Sam Loomes, Heidi Maguire, Tim Hartwig, Devvie Yap, Oliver Powell, Broke Custerson, Lara Wilson).
This is one of those must-see musicals! Words don’t do it justice. The show plays at the Princess Theatre until December 10.
note: The production contains theatrical haze and strobe lighting.
Reviewed by Irena Begelfor