Mamma Mia! I just don't see it...

[RustyJusty830]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 8:50pm

I recently had the opportunity to see this international hit with a few friends of mine and I had been meaning to post about my experience for quite a while:
I understand the draw- fabulous ABBA music, showstopping dance, and a fresh and youthful ensemble cast...However, the production just did not do it for me (Mind you, I thought that the cast for the most part was brilliant...Ex. Carolee Carmello and Liz McCartney among others). While the show was not horrible and even somewhat enjoyable, I found the choreography to be unimpressive, the book to be highly lacking and unnecessarily long, the lighting to be tacky (except for the disco-like floor which was really cool!), among other minor faults.Often times, I found that the musical numbers ( which SOUNDED fine) did not work in the context of the show and seemed to appear for no apparent reason, having no obvious correlation with the story. Overall, the show dissapointed me, considering I went in with some high expectations which were not even close to being met. I do commend the cast for doing an outstanding job and giving one hundred percent in the effort. However, I found myself bored and my experience to be tedious. I think that this show could have been brilliant if condensed to a one hour and forty five minute one act with shorter scenes and less musical sequences. Still, what I witnessed was simply mediocre. Feel free to attack me but I felt the need to share my thoughts and get some opinions from you guys, because I have such respect for y'all!
-Justin

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 8:51pm

You're exactly right. It's an awful show with great music and is a huge audience draw with tourists - hence why it's still on Broadway.

I will say this - it's the best juke box musical of the bunch - but that is not saying much.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 8:52pm

Rusty, I agree 100%. I was SO excited to see it because of the hype, and then...yeah...I was slighty (and by slightly, I mean really) dissapointed.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 9:01pm

I found that the musical numbers (which SOUNDED fine) did not work in the context of the show and seemed to appear for no apparent reason, having no obvious correlation with the story.

hence the term "jukebox musical"...
Updated On: 6/19/05 at 09:01 PM

[QHDramaQueen]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 9:02pm

Ive avoided this show for so long.. its sad. Ive come close a few times but ended up seeing better(i.e. Rent, Producers, and Gypsy) shows. Its getting harder since I now know people in the show. Im gonna have to see it eventually. You never know, I could be surprised..

[bundy5000]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 9:10pm

I also agree. ABBA was offered 1 Billion dollars for 100 concerts, but declined. I think Mamma Mia is just a great way to support ABBA. I would pay 100 bucks just to see it again. I comepletly accept that it did not get Tony awards. It is gonna be a great show that will continue for decades to come. Lately I have been repeating my ABBA music on my mp3 player over and over to just listen to the lyrics. Not all of them but more then half of them are very cheesy and tacky. But Never the less There will always be a ABBA fan base that will continue supporting and telling thier friends how fun Mamma Mia is.

[aussiegirl]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 9:11pm

I was avoiding MM until I won tickets to it. So I went in expecting to hate it, and actually ended up enjoying myself, as much as I hate to admit *that*

Our production was helped along by an absolutely amazing Donna. Is that her name? The mother. She has the most glorious voice - I'm used to her singing opera and similar, so it was quite a shock to the system to hear Abba songs coming out of her mouth - all so beautifully enunciated!

I'm not the biggest Abba fan, so some of the songs were just eeeeek. I couldn't like them. But a lot of the time, I enjoyed it more than I'd been expecting to. Although the way many of the numbers were just chucked in, with only the barest scrapings of plot, irked me.

I didn't get a programme, so I can't remember any names really, but Pepper - I think? the little guy - he was a delight. And Donna's friends, especially the tall one (...) were hilarious!

I also liked the way they made it very Australian; I'd almost like to see it around the world, just to compare all of the cultural references. But only if I didn't have to pay I'd only recommend MM to people who want to see something, and have money to burn, and if there was nothing else on. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't a patch on all the other stuff I've seen.

Dirty Dancing, now, THAT'S gonna be terrible, and even if I won tickets, I'd give them away

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 9:41pm

Well, while I won't say this show is "good" theatre, because it's definitely not, it's enjoyable. The current Broadway cast is fabulous, which I would say helps it along... you need three strong ladies to make this show work, and I've seen a production where only two were particularly pleasant, or even noteworthy...

But I'll echo a couple other people and say that the reason that it's done so well is that the songs are familiar, and tourists are more likely to go see the ABBA show than a show about cannibalism or drag queens or what have you... it appeals to the masses.

And it beats 'Good Vibrations' by a mile and a half.

[MadeofGold]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 9:43pm

I saw the show with my parents and they loved it and I was all sorts of "meh" about it.

*shrugs shoulders*

The people around me seemed to be enjoying themselves though.

[hypertruffle]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 9:47pm

Ahh...I can hear my inner 14 year old broadway fangirl/freak scream in horror when she learned that her mom tricked her to go see Mamma Mia!

Though I can't really judge the whole show...since I walked out during intermission.