Mamma Mia! 'a total scream'
2005-03-10 09:46
Cape Town - Which came first, Abba or the smash hit musical Mamma Mia!, the world's No 1 show?
Traditionally, the musical would have debuted, but in this instance, it was Abba who inspired this "truly original musical".
And what a good job Abba did. As Bono will contest, Abba is "one of the best pop groups that ever was," and indeed, succeeded in being the backbone to this carefully crafted, energetic, hilarious and outrageous show, written by Catherine Johnson and produced by Mark Thomson.
Totalling 13 global productions, and generating over $8m a week in ticket sales, seen by over 20 million people worldwide and 18 000 people every night, it's not surprising this show, that premiered at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Wednesday night, was expected to be only the best, and the "global explosion" that it has been made out to be.
But it wasn't - for a combination of reasons. The seating was appalling, the venue was too big - all the energy that the show could have had, disappeared into thin air, and the music that should have filled the hall, simply didn't have the capacity to.
On a more positive note, though, the show did grab the audience's attention with its hilarious wit - "I'm going to get my tongue around a little Greek while I'm here" being one of the best quips of the night; superb, totally in sync dancing, and costume design that put the 70s to shame. Where can I get me a pair of those, was what the 40-something crowd was really thinking.
Although I wasn't convinced about all of the singing - and am still trying to decide if Sam Carmichael (Cameron Blakely) was worse than - Ewan McGregor in Moulin Rouge or Gerard Butler in the Phantom of the Opera.
But to be fair, perfection is not always easy to attain, especially in music, and for whatever Sam Carmichael (Cameron Blakely) wasn't, Donna Sheridan (Helen Hobson) was, and she, together with her wacky mates from way back when, made up for him.
The story
Most little girls dream about a white, fairytale wedding - but Sophie Sheridan (Emily Dykes), perfectly cast, with a voice sweeter than an angel's, had a different dream. Her dream was to have her dad, who she was unlucky (or lucky!) enough to grow up without, walk her down the aisle.
Since her "funky" mom had refused, forever, to let on who he was, Sophie decided to steal her mom's diary from the year she was conceived (1979), and figure out who her dad was.
With three men mentioned in the diary, and three sets of ellipses qualifying that her mom had indeed ... the same three men in the space of a month, Sophie got wind of who her father could be, and proceeded to invite all three of them to her wedding, convinced she would know which one was her daddy, as soon as she saw him.
And what are we left with? A "mother, a daughter, three possible dads and a trip down the aisle you'll never forget".
Of course Donna Sheridan (Helen Hobson) is horrified to discover Harry Bright (John Langley), Bill Austin (Ulrich Wiggers) and Sam Carmichael (Cameron Blakely), the three silly twits from her past pitch up in Greece the day before her daughter's wedding, and as much as she'd like to believe it's a coincidence, she suspects something is up.
The scene is set for a comedy. And Donna, together with two of her best friends create a musical that could "put Prozac out of business".
What could be funnier than middle-aged, droopy-boob ladies dressing up in luminous colours and decade-old outfits a hundred times too small?
Their rendition of Super Trouper and Dancing Queen, that mocked Abba in the best possible way, was truly inspiring, and an absolute scream.
Mamma Mia! runs at the Cape Town International Convention Centre until March 21.