MAMMA MIA! great antidote for winter

Sick of the cold and gloom of winter?  Buy a ticket for MAMMA MIA! and be transported to the sun and warmth of a Greek island where a young lady, about to be married, plans to find out who her dad really is.

Sophie (Alexia Clark) invites three potential candidates, selected from her mother’s diary, to the island hoping she will know which one is her dad.  What happens next is for the audience to discover.

Palmerston North’s Abbey Musical Theatre has a smash hit on its hands.  At Tuesday’s dress rehearsal in the Regent Theatre the show began quietly then exploded with great ABBA music powerfully performed by experienced vocalists like Val Andrew, Alexia and Gary Clark, Amy Hunt, Katte Johnston, Steve Jenkins and Ben Jones, supported by an enthusiastic ensemble of dancers.

Wearing often quite zany costumes the cast mixed solos and duets with vigorous chorus items as the story unfolds.

Characterisation of the lead roles grew as the show went on and the finales of both halves were spectacular.

An excellent orchestra and chorus backed the well-loved ABBA songs like Chiquitita, Dancing Queen and The Winner Takes It All while the ensemble performed some amazing choreography, even in flippers!

Director Grant Meese directed the first performance in Auckland nearly two years ago and he was back to do it again, using the set he designed which allowed for plenty of movement and great continuity of scenes.