The 25th-anniversary North American tour of Mamma Mia! arrived in Toronto with the familiarity and high spirits that have long defined the ABBA jukebox musical. On opening night at the Princess of Wales Theatre, the production encountered a few visible technical issues, including stagehands moving set pieces in ways that briefly disrupted the illusion of a Greek island setting. Even so, the evening retained its principal appeal: a briskly paced, warmly received piece of popular entertainment for the summer months.
The predictable plot and book by Catherine Johnson remain serviceable, but they are a corny reminder of a twenty-first-century Hallmark story. Sophie Sheridan (Juliette M. Ojeda), preparing to marry Sky (Grant Reynolds), discovers from her mother Donna’s diary that one of three men may be her father. She invites American architect Sam Carmichael (Victor Wallace), Australian writer and adventurer Bill Austin (Leland Burnett), and British banker Harry Bright (Rob Marnell) to the wedding, hoping the answer will reveal itself. Their arrival unsettles Donna (Jessica Crouch), whose former bandmates Rosie (Carly Sakolove) and Tanya (Jalynn Steele) have also come for the celebration.
Howard Harrison’s lighting effectively suggests the turquoise tones of the Greek islands, though some evening scenes leave faces underlit. Anthony Van Laast’s choreography gives the production much of its momentum, particularly in the Act One finale “Voulez-Vous” and the Act Two opening sequence “Under Attack.” Martin Koch’s musical supervision and arrangements keep the familiar ABBA catalogue moving with confidence, and sound designers Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken generally provide a clear balance between orchestra and singers, despite some isolated audibility problems.
Director Phyllida Lloyd emphasizes pace, brightness and broad comic timing, occasionally leading into groaning humour sometimes of a bawdy nature. There were some young children in the audience, and I wondered how parents would explain some of the innuendo. This approach is consistent with the show’s 25-year-plus established style and with an audience clearly receptive to its invitation to participate most evidently in the after-show curtain call concert (sorry for the spoiler alert).
Crouch gives Donna a direct, unsentimental edge because she was a single mother raising a daughter and building an island resort provides the performance’s strongest vocal moments. Her second act “The Winner Takes It All” is carefully phrased and builds to a powerful finish, while “Slipping Through My Fingers” and “One of Us” further demonstrate her command of the role. Ojeda opens the production with a gentle “I Have a Dream” and brings a clear sense of youthful urgency to Sophie. Reynolds is an appealing Sky, although sound issues made portions of “Lay All Your Love on Me” difficult to hear.
Steele’s Tanya supplies stylish comic confidence in “Does Your Mother Know,” opposite Dominic Young’s Pepper, while Sakolove and Burnett find an easy comic rhythm in “Take a Chance on Me.” Together, the featured performances help sustain the production whenever the book’s contrivances show their age.
The audience response throughout the evening suggested that Mamma Mia! continues to serve its intended purpose. This is not a production built for psychological depth or dramatic surprise; it is designed as communal, accessible entertainment. On those terms, it remains effective theatre comfort food.
Running time: approximately two hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission.
The production runs to August 30 at the Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King Street West, Toronto. For tickets: mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333.
MAMMA MIA!
Music and Lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus and some songs by Stig Anderson
Book by Catherine Johnson
Production designed by Mark Thompson
Lighting designed by Howard Harrison
Sound designed by Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken
Musical Supervisor, Additional Material and Arrangements by Martin Koch
Choreography: Anthony van Laast
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd
Performers: Juliette M Ojeda, Maddie Garbaty, Lena Owens, Jalynn Steele, Carly Sakolove, Jessica Crouch, Grant Reynolds, Dominic Young, Steven Gagliano, Rob Marnell, Leland Burnett, Victor Wallace, Alessandra Antonelli, Tony Clements, Kate Cummings, Jordan de Leon, Rob Hancock, David Holbert, Alex Lanning, Mokoa, Erica Mansfield, Jason Mulay, Emma X. O’Loughlin, Blake Price, Sarah Santos, Kristina Walz
