If go-go boots and Greek culture had a musical baby, they would have named it “Mamma Mia!”
The sing-along musical returned to the Tennessee Theatre this past weekend to please yet another crowd of moms reliving their past.
The show is set on an island in Greece where a wedding is about to take place, foreshadowing a beautiful show packed full of color and life. Add in the disco-fever music courtesy of ABBA, and you’ve got yourself a raging flashback ready to shake it.
One mother, one daughter and three potential fathers provide the conflict at hand, taking the audience on a journey throughout the musical.
Sophie, played by an energetic Chelsea Williams, tries to figure out which man of the three will walk her down the aisle. Donna, the mother, spends the show trying to keep the people she loves and the hotel she runs from falling to pieces while these three men from her past send her world spinning. Played by the brilliant Georgia Kate Haege, Donna brings the setting and characters together to form the atmosphere of Greek chaos just days before the wedding.
Minimalism was used in sets to help support the setting. Brilliantly, there was one major set piece that turned back and forth but took on the image of a different room each time. The actors that played the “staff” in the musical moved each set piece, including small props, during transitions into new scenes. This created a seemingly endless flow between set changes, making it seem like the show and the people in it were actually living this sparkly, dramatic life right in front of you.
And the characters in “Mamma Mia!” are fun and relatable. Living out a series of humorous and traumatic events, each actor brought their own flavor to their character.
Clean and crisp, “Mamma Mia!” allowed for enjoyable moments to occur around every corner. It was inappropriately funny in appropriate ways for all ages. Every joke is recognized by an outburst of audience laughter and clapping, making the musical fun for the actors as well.
And having fun is what this show is all about.
Audience members were encouraged to get up and dance and to sing as loudly as they wanted. There was even a sing-along with the characters at the end of the show.
Morphing present with past, this musical created a truly unique experience. Every moment had meaning and touched every heart in the audience.
Cheesy, yes, but “Mamma Mia!” is an unforgettable show.
Going to see musicals, plays and concerts are about getting transported to a different world for a short time. Personal lives can become too much to bear and release is needed.
“Mamma Mia!” sends everyone home with that release.
So, whether you lived in the age of the “Dancing Queen,” or you just really like to have a good time with random strangers, “Mamma Mia!” is definitely a perfect match for you.
Caution: the songs will get stuck in your head.
