REVIEW/ Mamma Mia! dazzles as it brings the spirit of Abba to The Mayflower Theatre
‘The Winner Takes It All’ - and let me tell you - the feel good hit musical, Mamma Mia, is certainly a winner in my books.
Through the genius use of a simple, yet effective, set, last night’s audience at The Mayflower Theatre were transported to the picturesque Greek island of Kalokairi as a tale of love, friendship and identity unravelled.
Sophie Sheridan’s hunt to discover the father she never knew leads to a wild adventure, where she is faced with three men from her mother’s past the day before her nuptials.
Showing at the Southampton theatre until November 8, the sensational musical had the audience dancing to their hearts content to iconic ABBA hits by the end, as it received a standing ovation - which was truly deserved.
Lydia Hunt, who plays Sophie, captivated throughout. From her angelic rendition of ‘I Have a Dream’, which overwhelmed the stage, to her tearjerking mother-daughter duet with Jenn Griffin, who plays Donna, with ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’.
And, that brings me to Griffin, whose character effortlessly mirrored the film’s with her hilarious one liners, wholesome friendships with Tanya (Sarah Earnshaw) and Rosie (Rosie Glossop) and her undeniable connection with Sam, played by Luke Jasztal.
She enthralled the audience with her gut wrenching performance of ‘The Winner Takes it All’, claiming the stage as her own.
Comedy was cleverly woven into each scene, povocking laughter to errupt from the stands with witty innuedos from Donna’s two pals and her former flames.
Explorer Bill, played by Mark Goldthorp, and Harry, played by Richard Meek, were flawless as they came to terms with the prospect of being Sophie’s dad.
But, one of my favourite scenes starred Bill and Rosie as they grappled over the possibility of a blossoming relationship with a side-splitting performance of ‘Take a Chance on Me’. With Rosie clambering over chairs to get to Bill in a brilliant game of cat and mouse, the audience was hooked - and so was I.
From the charming set to the masterful costumes and the effortless performances, the epic musical was executed magnificently with each, and every cast member, proving they were born to be stage-bound.