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'Mamma Mia!' musical: silly, yes, but much loved
(by Herb Hammer - July 18, 2012)
'Mamma Mia!' musical: silly, yes, but much loved
THEATER, BY HERB HAMMER
In 1943, when Rodgers and Hammerstein created "Oklahoma," they changed the musical comedy world forever, or so we thought. For the first time, songs sprung from the plot rather than holding up the plot. Musical comedies have followed this unique formula since.
Nearly 60 years later, "Mamma Mia!" turned musical comedy back on its ear. Audiences just love this cookie-jar, television sitcomish musical in spite of its silly plot.
"Mamma Mia!" is back at Playhouse Square, continuing its whirlwind tour.
Abba, the popular Swedish disco group, recorded a number of hit songs. Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, two members of the group, wrote most of them. And here they are, 20 songs kind of stuck into a simple plot that goes something like this: Living on a Greek island with her mother, Sophie, about to be married, wants her father to give her away. After sneaking a peak into her mother's diary, she finds her father could be any one of three men. So she invites them all to the wedding. Apparently, in the world of "Mamma Mia!," Greek islands are right around the corner, so they all show up.
Meanwhile, Sophie's mother, Donna, has asked two members of her old singing group to attend. Book writer Catherine Johnson can now use this device to get a few more songs out of the way.
Once Donna discovers the presence of her three lovers of 20 years past on her island, mother and daughter do battle. But not for long, for it takes a couple of hours to knock off 20 songs, when a happy ending is in order. Mother and daughter make up.
True Abba lovers could be troubled when the story appears to be making fun of the songs. But more often than not, all this intentionally artless fun is more pleasing than not.
Anthony Van Last's choreography has that "I could do that" look, for these are not dancers but singers who pop from nowhere to join the fun.
Everyone is having such a good time, why question the canned electronic music or the shrill voices? We live in a world where audiences are very forgiving.
Director Phyllida Lloyd has just the right touch for such a simple work. It's almost as though the show isn't directed at all.
Mark Thompson's white and blue set has a cheap appearance, but so does the show.
Chloe Tucker, as Sophie, and Kaye Treckerman, as Donna, are both over amplified, making their voices sound artificial.
But so what. "Mamma Mia!" is all artificial, and who cares? Audiences have loved it for over a decade.
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