Thursday, February 27, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Theater: Mamma Mia! puts Abba oeuvre to the test

By Barbara Scherzer

If the Swedish pop group Abba means little to you, listen up. The group originally hit the music scene almost 30 years ago and achieved record sales of more than 350 million worldwide. Although Abba has not recorded a single note since 1982, it is far from forgotten, and the stage production Mamma Mia! at Mandalay Bay is the proof.

Mamma Mia! is based on music by Abba songwriting partners Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. For this musical, 22 of the group's hits were ingeniously interwoven with a story written by Catherine Johnson. In 1999, the show debuted in London and two years later was Broadway bound. Now an international phenomenon, Mamma Mia! is ongoing in several countries with a Korean company set for next year.

The story opens on a mythical Greek isle in the present time. All the action takes place around a taverna as the wedding day of a young woman called Sophie approaches. Unbeknownst to her mother, Donna, Sophie invites three of her mom's former boyfriends to the wedding in the hopes of learning her paternity. A cross-generational tale, Donna's life turns upside down as she is forced to confront Bill, Harry and Sam for the first time in decades.

Tina Walsh is superb as she pushes the appropriate emotional buttons as single mother Donna. Familiar to locals as Morgana in EFX, Walsh is a strong actress with a good set of pipes. She nearly stops the show with her heartfelt solo turn, "The Winner Takes It All." She is matched by former Broadway actor Nick Cokas as Sam, who delivers a resonate "Knowing Me, Knowing You."

Good comic support comes from Karole Foreman and Jennifer Perry as Donna's lifelong friends Tanya and Rosie, respectively. Locals may also remember Michael Piontek, formerly of EFX and Forever Plaid. Here Piontek surprises with his touching take on Harry, Donna's former headbanger boyfriend. Although Jill Paice as Sophie gives a well-textured performance as she evolves from girl to woman, her singing voice is not as strong as the rest of the company's.

Mamma Mia! is not your typical Broadway show. Yes, the production contains a definitive plot and songs that advance the action. But many of the in-jokes occur when the audience expects a line of dialogue from a character and they burst into a perfectly integrated Abba tune instead. Also, Broadway purists should take note that after the show finale, an extended three-song concert-style reprise and sing-along is tacked on. In my view, although the concert segment leaves viewers pumped up before exiting the theater, it diminishes the emotional impact of the show's real ending.

The crew is top-notch. Production design by Mark Thompson immediately conveys the feel of a peaceful island locale by using backdrops and curtain borders painted with blue stripes against a blue background. Also, the taverna where Donna works revolves, permitting action to take place both outside and within the watering hole. Choreographer Anthony Van Laast, who previously worked in Las Vegas with Siegfried & Roy, successfully covers the wide Mandalay stage with his large cast. Lighting design by Howard Harrison is impressive, especially during the complex ensemble dance numbers.

A musical feast from opening number to curtain call, Mamma Mia! is also realistic with its theme. No man-bashing here, the contemporary comedy centers on the main character's desire for a full family life, which is sometimes at odds with the her independent streak. An exuberant musical punctuated with laugh lines, Mamma Mia! is appropriate for most members of your family.

Mamma Mia! is ongoing at Mandalay Bay with varying show times. Running time is 2 1/2 hours. Dark Tuesdays. Tickets are $71.50-$93.50. Info: 632-7580.