Review: Mamma Mia! Thank You For The Songs I’m Singing
It’s a rare feat when a Broadway musical makes you want to jump out of your seat and sing and dance along, but that’s EXACTLY what Mamma Mia! does.
I went into the show last night at the Durham Performing Arts Center, not really knowing what it was about.
Sure I knew that it was about a mother, her daughter, and three possible dads. But since I never saw the movie or seen the Broadway show, I didn’t know the outcome. I’m kind of glad, though that I didn’t know, because I sat there waiting, wanting to know who her dad was.
The story is just like a good soap opera where you tune in every weekday just so you can see what develops. And to be honest, I sat through the intermission in my seat waiting for it to start again, because I just had to know.
But don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the type of show that if you already know what’s going to happen you won’t enjoy it. The venue was jam packed with people who have loved the show for years, many who have seen it live plenty of times before. But they were there, excited as if it were their first show.
For the DPAC show, the part of Sophie Sheridan is played by Lyndsey Cole and the part of her mother, Donna is played by Jennifer Noth. Mamma Mia’s official website lists both actors as part of the ensemble cast, but they did a wonderful job at singing and portraying these women characters. Normally you could tell when an ensemble member or understudy is taking over, but it went over smoothly. *Scroll down to the bottom to see an interview of both cast members.*
I looked around when the cast began singing the title song “Mamma Mia” and I saw smiles. And to be honest I saw a few men tapping their feet to the beat. Even though they tried to hide it, you can tell they were enjoying it.
There was even one tiny fan, who was maybe three or four years old, that was dancing in the aisle. She would twirl around, then stop and look up at the stage to see the choreographed moves and then imitate.
And even though the show is filled with songs by ABBA, you couldn’t tell, unless you are a die-hard ABBA fan. The songs blended in so well with the story it felt like these characters were singing from their hearts, from the emotions that were running through them at the time. The songs seamlessly flowed throughout helping to further the story of love and friendship.
The 2 1/2 hour show went by way too fast. Maybe because I was having such a great time that I didn’t want to end. But in the end, I was satisfied with the outcome and I walked out feeling like I had just come from a disco themed party with my best friend.
The entire cast, from the main characters, right down to the ensemble, had such great chemistry on stage. Sometimes with shows that have big ensembles and songs that involve the entire cast, they can seem a little chaotic, but their timing was spot on. I could tell they practiced a lot together and really enjoyed working together as a group.
If you go see the show, here’s a word of advice. Please don’t jump out of your seats to start heading to your car right after the wedding scene. It’s not over! Trust me, sitting in traffic is worth it to see the show through the end. When they say “Grande Finale” boy, are they right!
So as this review comes to an end, I’m going to steal a few lyrics from the show. Thank you Mamma Mia! for the music, for the songs I’m singing. Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing. You have gained a new fan for life.
If you have seen the show before or maybe seeing the show in the future, please share your thoughts by posting a comment below.
[vms=9651]
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader or email.
Subscribe to RSS
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment