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Thursday, November 30, 2006
Stage Review: ABBA fan? Take a chance on 'Mamma Mia!' touring show
Post Gazette: "The Swedish pop band ABBA inspired a cult following that has lasted long beyond its '70s chart-topping heyday. Nothing gets all ages dancing at a wedding reception like 'Dancing Queen.'"
4 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I happened to attend the final Pittsburgh performance of Mama Mia, and overheard that the show had great attendance here compared to some other cities. Theater is often said to require a theatrical education to fully appreciate it, and I think the appeal of a Rock musical is the fact that you don't need an artistic background. Anyone can appreciate the music and the show, without missing very much at all. I just wonder if other shows based on musical groups will do s well as Mama Mia has for the same reason.
Seeing Mamma Mia was one of the funnest theater experiences I had. For most of the show it was like a normal play, but for about 1n 1/8 it was dancing and singing in the balcony aisles. I do not know if it was simply the audience that night, or the venue, or the blocking and nature of the show, but being able to be voyeuristic for most of the show and then get to a point where everyone needed to dance was amazing. ~Boyce
I will say this though. I think that Mamma Mia, really, is the most random show on Broadway. There is definitely a difference between a jukebox musical, Movin' Out, a musical about a group, Jersey Boys, and crazy all over the place, Mamma Mia!. Sometimes music groups are not meant to be made into shows, especially when shiny bellbottoms are in the costume renderings for the show, and a silver set.
I agree it was a very random show. But I didn't see it so much as a show, but as a concert. It was like a concert with some words. I didn't really pay attention to the plot because it was a bit thin, but the music was great. There wasn't much justification for the design choices either... The three leading ladies would come on stage and be like "look at these great costumes we found!" then go into a number and dance and everything. (which I though was amazing, but the more discerning theater goer would scoff at...shiny noisy crap is my thing, what can I say?)
Then the finale...they literally flew in a rock show truss and sang songs while people danced in the isles. They weren't even pretending any more. It was just a concert.
4 comments:
I happened to attend the final Pittsburgh performance of Mama Mia, and overheard that the show had great attendance here compared to some other cities. Theater is often said to require a theatrical education to fully appreciate it, and I think the appeal of a Rock musical is the fact that you don't need an artistic background. Anyone can appreciate the music and the show, without missing very much at all. I just wonder if other shows based on musical groups will do s well as Mama Mia has for the same reason.
-A Siebert
Seeing Mamma Mia was one of the funnest theater experiences I had. For most of the show it was like a normal play, but for about 1n 1/8 it was dancing and singing in the balcony aisles. I do not know if it was simply the audience that night, or the venue, or the blocking and nature of the show, but being able to be voyeuristic for most of the show and then get to a point where everyone needed to dance was amazing.
~Boyce
I will say this though. I think that Mamma Mia, really, is the most random show on Broadway. There is definitely a difference between a jukebox musical, Movin' Out, a musical about a group, Jersey Boys, and crazy all over the place, Mamma Mia!. Sometimes music groups are not meant to be made into shows, especially when shiny bellbottoms are in the costume renderings for the show, and a silver set.
I agree it was a very random show.
But I didn't see it so much as a show, but as a concert. It was like a concert with some words. I didn't really pay attention to the plot because it was a bit thin, but the music was great.
There wasn't much justification for the design choices either...
The three leading ladies would come on stage and be like "look at these great costumes we found!" then go into a number and dance and everything. (which I though was amazing, but the more discerning theater goer would scoff at...shiny noisy crap is my thing, what can I say?)
Then the finale...they literally flew in a rock show truss and sang songs while people danced in the isles. They weren't even pretending any more. It was just a concert.
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