MAMMA MIA! Can You Lay All Your Love on This Show?
A review of Mamma Mia!
by Juan Ramon Andrade Escobedo, age 13
The Mamma Mia! tour, which stopped at the Marcus Performing Arts Center through September 27th, is such a fun show! I highly recommend watching it because it is just amazing! Highlights of the show include its fun plot, incredible choreography, and immersive costumes, although some issues with sound could be improved.
The show tells of Sophie, who is about to get married to her fiancé, Sky. Sophie really wants her dad to be at her wedding to give her away—the only problem is that she doesn't know who that is! She decides to look through her mom Donna's diary to see if she can find the answer and after finding three different possible contenders, she invites them all to her wedding without Donna knowing. With dancing scuba divers, a fantastic girl group, and an amazing mix of songs from the iconic band ABBA, Mamma Mia! tells a tale of family relationships, love problems, and the search to find someone who has been missing from your life.
My favorite part of the show is definitely the showstopping number “Voulez-Vous.” The choreography, created by Anthony van Laast and Janet Rothermel, is spot-on and all the actors and actresses have such sharp and clean dance moves, which really help the audience groove along. All of the dances are so up-beat and dazzling, and really give off the vibe that the whole show is one big bachelorette party.
Another thing that I love about this show is the costumes, designed by Lucy Gaiger. There is such a rich variety of designs throughout the different moments of the show. I really like the Donna and the Dynamos outfits because they are so shimmery and dazzling and make them look like superheroes! Overall, I love the tropical, relaxing-on-the-beach vibes of the costumes. Since the show is set in Greece, all the casual clothing of the characters is like a cool, sunny vacation. The costumes really help bring you into the world of Mamma Mia! so you can feel and live the show from your seat.
One thing that I do feel like could use some improvement is in the sound mixing, since sometimes the mics can get a little too loud, which can hurt some people’s hearing. Also, while the show is supposed to be big and loud and flashy, sometimes the production elements overdid it at a few points. Aside from that, the show was spectacular!
Some things to keep in mind about this show is that there is some profanity, sexual references, loud noises, and bright colors. I would recommend this show for ages 12+. I hope these reminders help you plan your evening!
Overall, Mamma Mia! is such a fun and goofy show and I would gladly visit it again. If you are in the Milwaukee area and looking for a fun night out, this show is definitely the one for you. I hope everyone reading this review “takes a chance” on this show, because I promise you will not regret it! So go get your tickets now to watch Mamma Mia! at the Marcus Performing Arts Center!
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