MAMMA MIA! Review - ABBA's Greatest Hits Come to Singapore!

Producing smash hits like 'Money, Money, Money' and 'Dancing Queen', there’s no doubt why the Swedish band ABBA has been hailed as a Pop Supergroup! Having sold 150 million records worldwide, they’ve cemented themselves as one of the best-selling music artists in history.

Thus, it’s unsurprising that 'MAMMA MIA!', a musical packed with ABBA’s most popular tunes became a total success. First staged in Prince Edward Theatre in 1999, it moved to the Prince of Wales Theatre, where it now holds the record for the highest attendance in a single week.

Since then, it has expanded from being staged merely in London to touring all across the globe.

It has even spawned two critically acclaimed movie adaptations, ‘MAMMA MIA!’ (2008) and ‘MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again’ (2018), both featuring A-List celebrities such as Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried.

The former became the highest-grossing live action musical of all time upon its release, a testament to the genius of its director Phyllida Lloyd, who also directed the original West End production. 

The current UK & International Tour has been a critical success, being seen by over 7 million people in 41 countries.

Premiering in Dublin in 2004, its current stop, Singapore, features an award-winning British cast. Their infectious energy truly brings the show tunes to life, creating an electric atmosphere throughout the show.

Sophie Sheridan (played by Jess Michelmore) is getting married, and she wants to find her father to walk her down the aisle.

After thumbing through her mother’s diaries, she stumbles upon the names of three men who could possibly be her dad.

Through the course of the musical, the audience is brought through the layered and complex relationship between Sophie and her mother, Donna (played by Sara Poyzer), giving the age-old ABBA songs a whole different meaning.

A story of family, empowerment and charting one’s path, ‘MAMMA MIA!’ is sure to resonate deeply with you. 

The phenomenally fantastic lighting used allows audiences to move from day to night in a split second, with minimalistic yet effective set design setting the scene in Sophie and Donna’s hotel in Greece.

The spectacularly audacious costumes used by the cast are handmade with love and care.

In fact, the overwhelming use of Lycra due to the fabric needed for the costumes in ‘MAMMA MIA!’ enabled the Italian company that produced the fabric to stay afloat through turbulent times!

Our Verdict

‘MAMMA MIA!’ presents a vivacious yet touching journey filled with spectacular choreography, marvelous visuals and the best ABBA has to offer. 

All this coupled with the inventive use of set design and stunning costumes make the musical a theatrical masterpiece. ‘MAMMA MIA!’ deserves for us to ‘lay all [our] love on’ it, making it a definite must-watch!

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Images from MAMMA MIA!