To be honest I'm not a huge fan of either ABBA or musicals, so I wasn't expecting to be entertained by Mamma Mia! but ended up having the time of my life.
The musical has taken the world by storm, showing in almost 200 cities across the world before making its way to Auckland's vintage Civic Theatre, which despite it being a Saturday matinee when I went was packed to the rafters with theatre-goers (complete with their dancing shoes).
For those living under a rock who don't know the storyline - Mamma Mia! is set on the Greek Islands and follows an ex-pat English girl who, after reading her mother's diary, invites her three potential fathers to her wedding.The story follows her quest to find out who her real father is in time to walk her up the aisle as well as her mother's balancing act of organising her only daughter's wedding along with the arrival of three old flames and the unmasking of a 20-year-old secret.
The storyline progresses with the help of songs courtesy of ABBA, featuring their classic hits Chiquitita, Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You, The Winner Takes It All, Waterloo and many more.
Setting songs by a Swedish pop group to a storyline featuring English characters in Greece may sound a bit strange, but it works perfectly.
Of course it's not just the songs that make the musical so successful - you still need the talent to perform them, and this current cast has talent by the truckloads.
No offence to New Zealand musical communities, but the English crew perform at a level you won't see at your local town hall, led by Linzi Hateley and Katie Brayben who play the mother/daughter combo.
Both knock you over with their outstanding voices and are backed up by a strong ensemble cast who got the audience dancing in the aisles with a brilliant finale. Be warned: you'll have most of these songs stuck in your head for days after the show.
If you want to see it you had better get in quick as this is the last week Mamma Mia! is showing in Auckland, with the final show on Sunday. The musical moves on to Wellington next with the first show on October 22.
Stay tuned for more of Cameron McMillan's adventures in Auckland!
