News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

Review: MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL at The Princess Theatre

Treat yourself to a night of fun, dancing, and sheer joy. 4 STARS!

By: Oct. 10, 2023
Review: MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL at The Princess Theatre  Image
Enter Your Email to Unlock This Article

Plus, get the best of BroadwayWorld delivered to your inbox, and unlimited access to our editorial content across the globe.




Existing user? Just click login.

Mamma Mia! The Musical returns to Melbourne, which marks the final stop of the show’s 2023 Australian tour. With 22 ABBA hits and a refreshing restaging of the original production, this version of Mamma Mia! mesmerises, invokes mirth, and will have you leaving Melbourne's magical Princess Theatre with an ABBA melody front of mind and with an overall sense of merriment. Really and truly… if you, a friend, the hubby, or a work colleague even remotely like an ABBA song… and let’s face it who doesn’t… treat yourself to a night of fun, dancing, and sheer joy. 4 STARS!
Review: MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL at The Princess Theatre  Image
Drew Livingston, Sarah Krndija, Tim Wright, Martin Crewes
Photo by David Hooley

Having been seen by over 65 million people worldwide, it cannot be denied that Mamma Mia! The Musical is a box office musical success. Originally premiering on the West End in 1999, and then Broadway in 2001, Mamma Mia!  was nominated for four Olivier Awards and five Tony Awards. Probably however like myself, and most other millennials, most people’s introduction to Mamma Mia! was likely the 2008 film adaptation. While featuring an impressive line-up of actors, I must say that I was left disappointed by the film adaptation. As a result, I had been putting off seeing the stage show for the last 15 years. However, to my delight, not only did I enjoy how deliciously decadent, ‘camp’, and vivacious Mamma Mia! is onstage, I was also pleasantly surprised at how much of an emotional punch it packs.

Catherine Johnson’s story of a ‘bride to be’ in search of her father is still moving, despite elements of the Mamma Mia! story being perhaps cliché. The Show’s book does an adequate job of fitting a story around Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus music and lyrics, but does have some rather abrupt transitions between scene to song. Despite this, the current restaging of the well-received 2017 Australian production, which features an Australian creative team lead by Helpmann Award winning Director Gary Young, does do wonders in making Mamma Mia! more relevant for a contemporary Australian audience.

Review: MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL at The Princess Theatre  Image
Sarah Krndija
Photo by David Hooley

What really makes this production pop is its cast. Helpmann award winning Elise McCann as ‘mother of the bride’, Donna, and Sarah Krndija as ‘bride to be’ Sophie, both do a fantastic job in bring authenticity and depth to the Mamma Mia! story. Given that the entire audience likely already knows verbatim these characters' songs, anchoring the delivery of such well known pop hits into reality is by no means an easy feat. However both McCann and Krndija succeed in this endeavour. In particular McCann’s renditions of "One of Us" and "The Winner Takes It All" were impressive.

Review: MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL at The Princess Theatre  Image
 Elise McCann
Photo by David Hooley

The supporting cast in this production are superb and are a true highlight of the evening. Bianca Bruce as Rosie and Deone Zanotto as Tanya both shine brightly and are hilarious in "Take a Chance on Me" and "Does Your Mother Know". Sophie’s potential fathers, Sam Carmichael, Harry Bright and Bill Austin are also played well, with a mixture of strong vocals, wonderful comic timing and genuine heat-felt tenderness by Martin Crewes, Drew Livingston and Tim Wright. The ensemble cast also provide terrific vocals and overall euphoric energy, which really elevate Mamma Mia!.

Mamma Mia! The Musical is playing for a strictly limited season at the Princess Theatre, which finishes in December.

Review: MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL at The Princess Theatre  Image
Deone Zanotto, Elise McCann, Bianca Bruce and Ensemble
Photo by David Hooley



Reader Reviews

To post a comment, you must register and login.



Videos