MAMMA MIA! | EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
★★★★
“Mamma Mia! You might even go again and again, and again…”
Timeless, the songs of ABBA never grow. Since the Swedes won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with Waterloo, they have spoken to generation after generation worldwide. Happy, sad, heartbreaking and joyous, their back catalogue of chart-toppers tugs at the heart-strings, fills dance-floors and spark spontaneous sing-a-longs – sometimes simultaneously. They are the real stars of Mamma Mia!
There have been countless casts since Mamma Mia! premiered to great fanfare more than a quarter of a century ago. Donnas, Sophies and Skys have come and gone in the intervening years, but the songs remain the same, and so it is, as Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus’ smash hit musical returns to Edinburgh for its third Christmas season, following festive success in the city in 2004 and again in 2016.
Slickly drilled, this new production powers through the story of Sophie, a bride who has a dream as she heads towards her wedding, desperate to discover who her dad is. To that end, she has invited three of her mother’s ex-boyfriends to the wedding, convinced by an entry in a diary that one of them must be the one. Her mother is Donna, one time member of cabaret act Donna and the Dynamos, and of course she knows nothing about Sophie’s subterfuge… until her past unexpectedly starts to catch up on her when Harry, Bill and Sam turn up at Villa Donna, the little Greek taverna she runs.
The action is played out on Mark Thompson’s minimal and occasionally clumsy to move set (it’s never great to see stage crew manhandling scenery mid-show). Thankfully, most scene changes are beautifully choreographed to become an integral part of the show. The real magic, however, is added by lighting designer Howard Harrison, whose rich blue washes and golden hues capture the essence of a Greek island in summertime.
Jenn Griffin leads the company as Donna, and boasts a powerful belt that fills the auditorium. Joined by her friends and former cabaret members, Rosie and Tanya – a quite delightful and funny turn as the former by Rosie Glossop, with understudy Marisa Harris giving a good show as the latter – it’s when all three perform together that they are at their best, evoking ABBA’s glorious, distinctive harmonies.
Angst-ridden, as the enormity of what she has done dawns, Lydia Hunt’s Sophie shares a light chemistry with Joe Grundy’s ‘one of the lads’ Sky. And talking of lads, or rather dads, Mark Goldthorp brings a nuanced vein of comedy to proceedings as happy wanderer Bill, and provides the highlight of the show when teamed with Glossop for a brilliantly delivered Take A Chance On Me that sparks the audience into life and has them clapping along and roaring with laughter.
A mention too must go to Sophie’s pals, Ali and Lisa, played by Bibi Jay and Eve Parsons, who light up the stage whenever they are on stage, which isn’t enough.
Despite having a story to tell and the fact that some of the verve of previous productions is generally lacking, you never have to wait too long for another ABBA favourite to come along to give the show a lift, no fewer than 22 of them are cleverly integrated into the action. Highlights include Griffin’s wrought One Of Us, the reformed Donna and the Dynamos’ super-camp ABBA-tastic Super Trooper, and a saucy take on Does Your Mother Know in which understudy Harris gets a moment to shine.
Phyllida Lloyd’s original direction may have lost some of its subtlety as it has passed through the individual interpretations of various associate directors over the years, but if most characters are never truly three dimensional with little real emotional range, it doesn’t seem to matter everyone is here for the songs and they never disappoint, musical director Carlton Edwards’ seven piece band hits a right note every time with feet tapping throughout.
By the time the finale comes around, and the on stage energy ramps up, the audience need little encouragement to leap to their feet to dance and sing along as Mamma Mia! lives up to its reputation as ‘the biggest party in town’. Which is exactly what it is, and should be enjoyed as such. Mamma Mia!!! You might even go again… and again… and again.
Run ends 4 January 2026 Tickets HERE
