Review: MAMMA MIA at Orpheum Theatre

It’s hard not to be swept up in the Mamma Mia juggernaut. Since its Broadway premiere in 2001, it’s grossed over $4.5 billion,  been seen by 70 million people, turned into two record-breaking movies with productions in 16 different languages. It has a perfect confluence of jukebox musical components – a sweet romcom story and the timeless music of ABBA, no slouches in the music business being one of the best-selling music acts in the history of popular music. A more than enthusiastic audience loved every moment of this production – the broad comic supporting characters, the bright colored lighting, the snappy choreography and the romantic themes of new love, old dalliances and a happy fairytale ending.

The book by Catherine Johnson is interesting and could stand alone sans music. Sophie (Amy Weaver) is young, in love and about to be married. After reading her mother’s diary entries the year she was conceived, she finds there are three possible fathers. Desperate to be given away by her father, she invites the three to her wedding without her mother’s knowledge. So begins the hijinks.

A successful musical takes actors who can sing, dance and act. The women in this production were all quite successful at this: Chrstine Sherrill as mother Donna, Carly Sakolove (Rosie) and Stephanie Genito (Tanya) as Donna’s best friends, and Amy Weaver as Sophie. It is after all a women’s story and the focus is on them and their relationships. The men fare less well. The three potential fathers can sing. As the comic sidekicks, Steele and Sakolove are wonderful in their scenes (“Take a Chance on Me” “Chiquitita,” and “Does Your Mother Know”).

Unfortunately, the sound played havoc on this production. The small orchestra, heavily screaming guitar centric, forced the actors to over necessary volume levels. There was little subtlety or nuance in the numbers. Like in Spinal Tap, the volume level was set to 11. The audience danced along with the curtain call encores of “Mamma Mia,” “Waterloo” and Dancing Queen” and all was good in ABBA land.

Mamma Mia continues through May 11th. Tickets available at broadwaysf.com .

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