Mamma Mia! Brings Feel-Good Fun and ABBA Hits to Minneapolis
Ugh. I just love this show. I don't know if it's the nostalgia of it or the feel-good soundtrack, but I have no notes. I was eight when the movie came out and was instantly hooked on it. To this day, it's one of my favorite movies. Clearly, I'm no movie critic, but you can't deny the heartfelt fun this story brings. And the music. The music!! It's just so good. ABBA really did their big one here.
The classic jukebox movie and musical Mamma Mia! is in Minneapolis this week, and I got to see it last night. I've seen both movies countless times but had never seen a stage adaptation. I was excited, to say the least. I think I enjoyed it so much because I didn't have high expectations in terms of production or any sort of deep, complicated storyline, as I am very familiar with how it plays out. It was maybe the most bare-bones production I've seen on Broadway in terms of the sets and lighting design. That being said, I don't think this show needs it, as it relies solely on the characters' relationships and beloved music to bring it all to life.
If you live under a rock and are unfamiliar with the synopsis, the story follows Sophie, a young woman about to get married on a beautiful Greek island. After secretly reading her mother's old diary, she discovers three men who could potentially be her father and invites all of them to the wedding without telling her mom, Donna. What follows is a whole lot of chaos, awkward reunions, romance, and self-discovery, all set to some of ABBA's greatest hits. Is it realistic? Not even a little. That’s not the point here. Is it ridiculously fun? Absolutely. That's kind of the magic of Mamma Mia!.
Photos by Joan Marcus
If you're looking for a detailed breakdown and critical review of this show, unfortunately, you won't get that here. It's just too fun for me! The audience clearly loved it too, with the constant laughs. I was impressed and thankful for everyone's (including myself) ability not to sing along.
Everyone in the show was good, of course, but Donna and Tanya really stood out for me. Jessica Crouch as Donna was truly unbeatable. From the mannerisms of Meryl Streep's portrayal of the character in the 2008 movie, to her voice, to her look, it was all spot on. And we actually had a Tanya understudy last night, but I didn't even know it until after the show, and I was shocked, to say the least. Playing Tanya last night was Erica Mansfield, and she was made for this role. The scene with her and Pepper (a much too young man for her), where they sing "Does Your Mother Know," was so fun and a highlight of the show, in my opinion.
This is a random note, but I really loved how loud this production was. I don't know if that was on purpose or not, but I have noticed I'm not a fan of quieter musicals and like the booming sound of this production, which felt similar to a concert.
One surprise for me, as someone who had never seen the stage show of Mamma Mia! before, was that they have an encore of encores. Just when you think it's time to exit the theater, you get a reprise of "Mamma Mia," a reprise of "Dancing Queen," and a performance of "Waterloo." The encore even included costume changes! This was especially fun because everyone had stood for a standing ovation, so we kind of got to dance around and sing with them during the last bit as the show was technically done. It felt like a concert there at the end.
If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, the cast still has shows through this Sunday (September 20th) night! You can find your tickets here.
Photos by Joan Marcus
