Abba-inspired show will get you dancing in the aisles
Mamma Mia! transports audience to the 70s
The summer show season has produced another not-to-bemissed production as the cast and crew of Mamma Mia! got a rousing ovation at the Levin Performing Arts Society on opening night.
This review of the show comes with a spoiler alert — if you’re an Abba fan be prepared to take it all, as the show traverses a number of unforgettable hits from the iconic 70s pop band, from Honey, Honey to Money, Money, Money.
Who can resist a live performance of Dancing Queen ,or Gimme, Gimme, Gimme ,or SOS ,or Waterloo ,or Super Trouper?
Do we like the show? We do, we do, we do. The dance moves . . . you know them . . . are as contagious as the songs, and the audience would be hard pressed to ignore an invitation to get out of their seats towards the end and swing hips
Levin Performing Arts Society is in good company. Mamma Mia! has had long-running performances on Broadway and at London’s West End. More than 65 million people have seen the show since its debut in 1999.
Members of the original Abba were involved in the development of the show, set on a small Greek island. The show has it all . . . a wedding . . . romance . . . and those awesome sparkling outfits and dance moves that Abba made famous.
It centres around Sophie’s (Shay Mitchell) search for her dad so that he may give her away at her wedding, to Sky (Tua Fa’avale). But it all creates a bit of a problem for her mother Donna Sheridan (Jenna Wicks).
There is some brilliant singing of the classics and full credit to the cast for taking many in the audience on a journey straight back to their childhood collection of Abba records.
Take a bow Sam Carmichael (Nick O’Brien), Bill Austin (James Hooper Smith) and Harry Bright (Leigh Harrington), with O’Brien in particular commanding the stage with a brilliant solo, and a touching duet with Wicks.
The main supporting cast of Tanya (Sharsha Forbes), Rosie (Geena Collins), Lisa (Libby Bruhn), Ali (Sjan Giles-Oza), Pepper (Anthony Tuatari) and Eddie (Trevor Clement) all deserve special mention, too.
The show brought together a huge
number of people, both in the ensemble cast (32) and those behind the scenes. A big Thank You For The Music must go to the live band of Colin Taylor (keyboard), Nick
Aungiers, Callum Pearson (guitar), Dave Preistly (bass) and Miles Harrington (drums). The show was directed by Tacita Bohan and choreographed by Caitlin Sanson.
The singing coach was Pam Skerman, while Mike and Lorraine Lepper headed a large stage crew.
Mamma Mia! continues at LPAS until December 10.