By Michelle Rawlins
Reviewed at The Lyceum, Sheffield
Mamma Mia!, here you go again, and oh how I’ve missed you!
This smash hit musical classic has stood the test of time, since it first burst onto the West End in 1999. It’s filledtheatres across the world ever since, and after singing, dancing, clapping and crying along to this latest adaptation, it’s no surprise why.
From the moment the curtains lifted on this super trouper, there wasn’t an element of doubt in my mind that this was going to be a spectacular performance, and it didn’t disappoint.
All the familiar and much-loved ABBA classics were there, from Dancing Queen and Thank You For The Music to Does Your Mother Know and Chiquitita.
For those who aren’t familiar with the premise, the story follows bride-to-be Sophie, who is living on an idyllic Greek island, after being brought up single handed by her strong willed and determined mother, Donna. In the lead up to her wedding, Sophie dips into her mum’s diary, and discovers the names of three men, all of which could be her dad, so she invites them all to her big day, in the hope one of them will walk her down the aisle.
On the eve of Sophie’s big day, an evening of mishaps and hedonistic chance encounters are unveiled. It’s the perfect back set to enjoy more familiar hits from the iconic Swedish pop quartet, including Does Your Mother Know, which incorporates a hilarious tongue in cheek scene between Donna’s friend, the self-assured, serial divorcee, Tanya (Helen Anker), and the sexually hopeful, but much younger and gooey-eyed Pepper, performed by the hugely entertaining James Willoghby Moore.
There were also a few new surprises, including a laugh-out-load scene where Sky (Toby Miles), and his gang of lifelong mates appear in cut off wetsuits, which leave little to the imagination, as they prepare for a stag night to remember.
As you would expect from such a long running show of this calibre, the choreography led by Anthony Van Laast, was outstanding, ensuring every exhaustive routine was not only step perfect, but working hard to make sure this show remains global spectacular it is.
The entire cast are phenomenal, Jena Pandya, makes a perfect Sophie, with a perfect combination of naïve optimism and feisty determination to discover who her father is.
The three dads didn’t disappoint either, honing Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stella Skarsgard, who played Sam Carmichael, Harry Bright and Bill Anderson, respectively, in the 2008 film.
It was hard not to love Bill (Phil Corbitt), with his lovable Geordie accent and big heart and the sentimental Harry (Daniel Crowder), while continually willing the still smitten, Sam (Richard Standing), to sweep the life- weathered and disillusioned, but free spirit, Donna, played by the fabulous Sara Poyzer, with her powerful, pitch perfect singing voice, off her feet.
As the story unfolds, the narrative is supported by one explosive ABBA hit after another. Think disco, glitter balls, sequinned flares and tasselled jeans, as Gimme Gimme Gimme, Take A Chance On Me, Money, Money, Money are performed by this stellar cast.
The hand clapping, foot tapping energy didn’t stop until the very last moment when the show ended with an on your feet medley of pop mania classics, showing off the energetic chemistry between the actors to perfection.
This really is an absolute tonic of a show, and for anyone who knows The Name Of The Game, along with those experiencing this feel-good production for the first time, Mamma Mia really is the winner who takes it all.
Tickets available here