REVIEW: ‘Mamma Mia!’ is back where it belongs
Photo: Mamma Mia! stars, from left, Jalynn Stelle, Christine Sherrill and Carly Sakolove. Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus / Provided by BBB with permission.
NEW YORK — Mamma Mia!, the world-famous musical set to the music of ABBA, was a sensation when it played Broadway during its original run. Audiences flocked to the show and danced to hit tunes like “Waterloo,” “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia” and “SOS.” The musical never stopped after it closed up shop on Broadway a decade ago; ever since, the production has been touring the world and continues to pack in audiences in London’s West End.
Well, the tale of a young woman about to be married and on a quest to find her biological father is back on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre. Watching the musical numbers come to life, it’s almost as if Mamma Mia! never left. Perhaps the memories were kept alive by the successful movie adaptation (and its sequel), and if the vibe at a recent performance is any indication, love for ABBA and this show is still off the charts.
The musical follows Sophie Sheridan (Amy Weaver), who is engaged to Sky (Grant Reynolds), and their wedding is set for a beautiful Greek island where Sophie’s mother, Donna (Christine Sherrill), runs a taverna. There’s only one problem for Sophie: She doesn’t know who her real father is. She’s been snooping around her mother’s journal from 21 years ago, and there are three candidates according to what she reads: Harry (Rob Marnell), Bill (Jim Newman) and Sam (Victor Wallace). So Sophie decides, without her mother’s knowledge, to invite all three of them to the nuptials to get a sense of who might be the one. Also joining the wedding are Sophie’s best friends, Rosie (Carly Sakolove) and Tanya (Jalynn Steele), who all used to be members of a singing group in their younger years.
The set is simple, with characteristic island homes painted white, and the book by Catherine Johnson keeps the action bubbling along. Some of the jokes may have aged a bit in the in-between time when Mamma Mia! wasn’t playing in Midtown Manhattan. Still, there’s no denying that Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson’s music and lyrics are catchy and almost instantly get the toes tapping. Phyllida Lloyd’s direction is economical and fitting, enlivening the proceedings with energy and fun.
The cast is uniformly excellent, with Sherrill making a star turn as the central character of Donna. Although Sophie’s story provides the impetus for the story being told, it’s Donna’s arc that becomes the dominant one. She must wrestle with ghosts of the past as she faces each of her former partners and wonders who might be the father of her child. She’s also navigating difficult waters with Sophie getting married and perhaps moving away from the island. Plus, there are the unrealized dreams of her own singing career. Sherrill has a powerful voice that matches each song’s requirement, especially in Act I’s “Money, Money, Money” and Act II’s “The Winner Takes It All,” which is perfectly timed near the end of the show.
Weaver is quite good as Sophie, opening and closing the show with heartfelt recitations of the dreams she has as a person in her 20s with so much of her life in front of her. Sakolove and Steele are perfect in their supporting roles as Donna’s friends; they provide much of the humor for the evening, and they never miss a beat. Kudos also to Marnell, Newman and Wallace for having fun with their wildly different roles: One is an English gentleman, one is an Indiana Jones-type character back from the wilds of Botswana and one still has a twinkle in his eye for Donna.
Mamma Mia! is the definition of Broadway fun, and the big musical deserves to be back in Midtown Manhattan, getting people up in the aisles and singing to “Dancing Queen” and “Waterloo.” It’s an infectious show that has proved to be a global sensation, and now it’s back on the boards.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Mamma Mia!, directed by Phyllida Lloyd, is currently playing the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes with one 15-minute intermission. Starring Amy Weaver, Grant Reynolds, Christine Sherrill, Jalynn Steele, Rob Marnell, Jim Newman, Victor Wallace and Carly Sakolove. Click here for more information and tickets.
