MAMMA MIA!

It's not refreshing to go see a show where every song is a hit because they were written 30 years before - it's depressing and irritating.

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MAMMA MIA! is the best show on Broadway.

you mean a *revue

I saw the national tour in DC a couple of years ago while on vacation (I got a comp from a friend) and thought it was one of the most amateurishly assembled pieces of "theatre" I've ever witnessed. Shockingly lazy in construction and execution -- why on earth would anyone use a terrible movie like "Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell" as the basis of the book of a Broadway musical? And just randomly cram songs into the paper-thin plot. It's as if, as soon as the producers got the rights to the ABBA catalogue, they didn't even TRY to create a professional and competent show. They just didn't care knowing the ABBA name would sell the product no matter how crappy the overall show was.

Just laughably awful (and from my box seats I could look out and see a good chunk of the audience and my god, they looked SO bored ...several were asleep for most of the 2nd act until the big DISCO finale).

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Updated On: 2/4/05 at 09:55 PM

I've been immensely disgusted at these people, who are the ones extinguishing all art from theater.

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I've seen it. Once. I enjoyed it. For the most part. (Liz McCartney was out, but otherwise, I thought it was okay.)

The book was a little lacking... not exactly Les Mis or anything, and I thought the talent of the performers and the music far overshadowed the plot... but overall, I didn't hate it. I dunno, it got me all happy, I wwas a bit bouncy coming out of the theatre. Y'know, it's not my absolute favorite, but I didn't think it sucked as bad as most make it out to.

It's not a dreadful piece of crap, but my point was that it's sad that the "#1 show" is MAMMA MIA. What does that show about the future of musical theatre in America?

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I can't speak for the reaction of any other audience to this show, but the night I saw the national company at the National Theatre in DC, from my box seat next to the stage, as the second act dragged on and on, my friend and I looked out at the expanse of bored audience members in front of us and, in an effort to entertain ourselves (since nothing on the stage was doing it) we decided to count the number of people in the audience who were clearly asleep (we could see nearly 80% of the faces and the nodding heads) -- there were more than two dozen. Only when the lights came up and the disco ball start spinning did the sleepy folks wake up and show any signs of alertness.

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OK, that's the last time I try to get away with anything while Magruder's around.

Yes, I remember Carmelina and still think it's a bad idea to base not one, but TWO shows on a lame Gina Lollabrigida movie, no matter how good the score.

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Updated On: 2/5/05 at 02:09 AM

I absolutely do negate the "thought" and "craftmanship" that went into it -- they're nonexistent. The entire show is a thoroughly cynical expression of these producers' greed. They didn't bother to insist on a better show or think that we as an audience deserved REAL craft and thought and creativity. They simply slapped the name ABBA on an artistically bankrupt enterprise and marketed the crap out of it and that why it's a hit -- not for anything that's on the stage.

It is the lowest ebb of the theatre rungs I ever hope to witness. I leave "We Will Rock You" and other such meritless "entertainments" to you and others who apparently have nothing better to do with $100.

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I mostly agree with sanda. I don't think we can call Mamma Mia "theatre" or even more "art". It is not. But it is a party and there is nothing wrong with that. And I think that the people going to it are fully aware that they will not see a stimulating and thought provoking piece of modern theatre. It is pure fun and I think it succeeds on every level. I had a great time watching it, but that could be because I am a huge ABBA fan and I love their music and that has a lot to do with the appreciation of the show !(Of course, being set in Greece didn't hurt me either LOL) The thing that surprises me is the success of the show in the U.S. I knew that ABBA were huge in Europe and Australia, but I never thought that a show based on their hits would be so big in America ! Which means that maybe the flocks of people who rush to it are not familiar with the music, but nevertheless have a great time !

Take care

grr I hate Mamma Mia
I'm really not a fan of musicals like Mamma Mia, Movin Out, Good Vibrations, etc...... can't you make new music??

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