Get ready to dance, jive and have the time of your life as Mamma Mia the Musical arrives in Adelaide.
Featuring over twenty ABBA classics including ‘Dancing Queen,’ ‘Lay All Your Love On Me,’ ‘Waterloo’ and of course, ‘Mamma Mia,’ the production does justice to some of the greatest and most recognised pop songs in history.
The plot centres on 20-year-old Sophie Sheridan’s (Sarah Morrison) quest to meet her father for the first time before she gets married to Sky (Stephen Mahy)
The only issue is, she has three possible fathers. 21 years ago, Sophie’s mother Donna (Natalie O’Donnell) met, and had brief romances with three young men, and one of them resulted in her falling pregnant with Sophie. She raised her daughter on her own in the Greek Islands and is shocked to find all three past flames together in the one place decades later.
Audiences should recognise many of the production’s cast members from their extensive stage and television credits. Theatre and television veteran Ian Stenlake stars as architect Sam Carmichael, while Josef Ber who was a series regular on critically acclaimed television drama Rush adds yet another stage role to his extensive resume as writer Bill Austin. Phillip Lowe is also a comedic delight as ‘spontaneous’ banker Harry Bright.
The fictional girl-group, ‘Donna And The Dynamos’ is also reunited because of Sophie’s upcoming wedding. Best friends Donna, Rosie and Tanya rock out to several ABBA hits including crowd favourites, ‘Money, Money, Money,’ and ‘Super Trooper’.
‘Offspring,’ alumni Alicia Gardner perfectly captures the comedic character of Rosie and internationally acclaimed stage veteran Jayde Westaby portrays glamorous, triple divorcee Tanya with style. ‘Does Your Mother Know’ was a highlight of the performance with energetic and cheeky choreography supporting the knock out vocals of Westaby.
The Australian production was revived with brand new and innovative choreography that blends several dance styles. It’s hot, fresh and sexy. In dance numbers such as ‘Voulez-Vous,’ you are able to understand why the jukebox production has a reputation as a ‘party musical’.
Mamma Mia: The Musical is energetic, uplifting, fun and proves the music of ABBA is as timeless as ever. Try to find a more iconic duo than an ABBA classic and a full dance floor. I’ll wait.
Mamma Mia The Musical shows at the Adelaide Festival Centre from October 9 for six weeks only. Book tickets here.
Image credit: James Morgan