Mamma Mia! : The Winner That Takes It All...

 

On Saturday, I went to see the legendary jukebox musical, Mamma Mia, at the Novello Theatre in the West End. I've been a huge ABBA fan for as long as I can remember and have seen the show once before, though it must have been at least 10 years ago. The film is also one of my favourites of all time! 

I was most excited about being able to see my West End hero Mazz Murray in the role of Donna Sheridan. I spent the entirety of lockdown watching Mazz sing songs from the show at various different online theatre events and I completely fell in love with her version of Donna and her voice in general. I've seen her perform once before, in Chicago as Mama Morton, but I have to say that I think Donna is Mazz's best role to date. The strength in her vocals brings about a completely different interpretation to some of ABBA's most well loved songs, and I think this is what makes the production so brilliant. Her ability to switch back and forth between vulnerability and power, especially in songs such as 'Winner Takes It All' is so captivating for the audience and caused them to erupt with applause after the song was finished. After the show, I got to see Mazz at the Stage Door (photos on my Instagram!) and she was the most lovely person to speak to and made my night at Mamma Mia even better!

The entire production has been cast incredibly well, because everyone fits so brilliantly into their roles. Josie Benson and Gemma Goggin play the roles of Tanya and Rosie respectively. The two characters are the antithesis of each other, yet that's what makes the relationship on stage so brilliant, and the pair along with Mazz Murray have the most amazing chemistry - which really is the heart of the show.  Benson's shining moment was her solo 'Does Your Mother Know' which was a personal highlight of the night, whilst Goggin's comic timing as Rosie was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience throughout the performance. The three dads: Sam, Bill and Harry - played by Richard Trinder, Stephen Beckett and Neil Moors - and Emma Mullen who plays Sophie were all great in their roles. The whole cast appears to have great relationships on and off stage, and this really communicates through their performances and interactions with each other.

The costumes and the set are so iconic and it was incredible to be able to see them in person. The simplicity of the set, with limited props and just one backdrop, enables the plot to be told solely through the performance of the actors. There isn't the need for highly detailed sets, pyrotechnics and intense lighting changes that more modern musicals have. I think that's why its kept its authenticity and success for the last 23 years, because it hasn't changed what is clearly still working.  

The film has clearly taken a lot from the musical, as I already knew what many of the lines were going to be before they were said! However there are some differences which I thought were interesting choices. For example, the song 'Our Last Summer' (which is one of my favourites!) is sang by Donna and Harry in the musical and I think this is a much better fit. It allows the audience to see the depth of the relationship between the pair, which just isn't shown in the film. There is also the addition of 'Under Attack', one of ABBA's lesser known hits, at the beginning of Act 2. This was by far one of the most interestingly staged parts of the show, along with the addition of some really detailed neon outfits which were very eye-catching.

I have to say that I think Mamma Mia is my new favourite musical after watching it on Saturday! It's the perfect feel-good show for everyone, and is great for people just starting to get into musicals because of its easy storyline, humorous elements and well-known score. Definitely not to be missed!

You can buy tickets to see Mamma Mia at the Novello Theatre here