REVIEW BY GRACE DWYER
EDITED BY MYA HELOU
Is there any band as crowd pleasing to the Australian public as ABBA? Science says no. And the almost full house (on a Thursday night, too!) for Queen’s College’s Mamma Mia! is absolutely ready for any and all seventies jams the musical is going to throw at them.
The house lights go down, leaving a yellow spotlight over the pit. I typically don’t begin reviews with lighting, but Connor Maher Lemaître’s design is so striking – especially in the first act – that I believe it deserves top billing. Lemaître takes full advantage of the crowd-pleasing concert soundtrack to elevate numbers with vibrant colour and striking spotlights, especially ‘Money Money Money,’ ‘Mamma Mia’ and ‘Voulez-Vous.’ A lovely extra detail is the addition of perfectly shaped lights on the Taverna’s windows and door, elevating Alyssa McDonald Smith and Edward Schumacher’s already gorgeous set, draped with vines, bougainvillea and taverna tables that make it feel lived in.
Before too long, the set is occupied with actors beginning with Luca Allen’s Sophie, who has a quiet poise and confidence that lets her shine especially bright in several solitary numbers. It’s Allen who kicks off Act One with ‘I Have A Dream’ and Act Two with ‘Under Attack,’ nailing both. She’s soon joined by Ali (Sarah Gubbins) and Lisa (Leah Wang), who burst onto the stage with best friend sleepover levels of excitement, necessary for ‘Honey, Honey.’ Both Gubbins and Wang are standout dancers and have great chemistry with their male counterparts. Sky (Liam Clark) and Pepper (Charlie Rehfisch) are solid lead vocalists, with dance moves to spare, while comic reliefs Eddie (Eddie Wallis) and Ethan (Ethan Harpur) are obvious fan favourites.
The three fathers – Sam (Charlie Maple-Brown), Harry (Ruben Fitton) and Bill (Charles Buckley) – are perfectly suited to their respective roles. Maple-Brown embodies that reluctant rom-com hero (Colin Firth comes to mind, although he famously plays Harry), and knocks his numbers out of the park. ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ is a personal highlight. From his first few lines, delivered with an impeccably camp British accent, Fitton has the audience in the palm of his hand. Buckley is a very strong singer and actor, complete with strong Australian accent and swagger – an element from the original 1990s stage show that I am very happy to see here.
As soon as Donna (Vivienne Mackenzie) and her Dynamos take the stage, it’s clear that the show belongs to these three. Selina Lokan (playing Rosie) and Poppy Bell (playing Tanya) are no backup singers, but leading ladies in their own right. The Dynamos have chemistry in spades, bouncing off each other comedically. As a result, ‘Chiquitita,’ ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Super Trouper’ are an absolute joy to watch. Lokan is endlessly charming as the down-to-earth Rosie, and never fails to get a grin out of several cast members, whereas Bell is obviously in her element playing a diva. Their respective leading numbers, ‘Take A Chance On Me’ and ‘Does Your Mother Know?’ are a much needed moment of levity and dazzle in an emotionally draining second act – carried, in large part, by ballads and duets all featuring Donna. Mackenzie rises to this challenge spectacularly, culminating in a three song run that ends with the all-timer ‘The Winner Takes It All,’ although ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’ gets props for predictably eliciting tears from an audience of parents (and some college age reviewers). Donna is funny, warm, engaging and Mackenzie’s voice screams star power. The central trio of Sophie, Donna and Sam works wonderfully together to believably and emotionally ground this feel-good musical.
By the halfway mark of Act One, I am utterly convinced that Mamma Mia! is the perfect college show – entirely due to the ensemble. They’re such a pleasure to watch that it seems most of the audience wants to be on stage. Director Annie Hutchings has evidently put hours into blocking impressively for her sizeable cast, adding levels and life to every scene. Every actor brings their all, eliciting giggles from the audience as they pull focus with antics. Numbers like ‘Lay All Your Love On Me’ and ‘Dancing Queen’ go from good to great with the arrival of the ensemble – especially the former, with a sea of boys in flippers and goggles, who are clearly stealing the show (and they know it). ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!’ is also excellent, as it effortlessly weaves from chaotic hen night celebrations to Sophie’s panicked interactions with her dads. choreographer and dance captain Francesca Carthew’s dances are executed flawlessly, and Carthew herself should be immensely proud of her dynamic choreography. The ensemble’s peak, however, is their sheer energy in ‘I Do, I Do, I Do’ – right after Sophia Goodwin’s scene-stealing turn as Father Alexandrios. The entire cast is brimming with palpable excitement, and a pleasure to watch. They also nail their vocals, and I’ve never heard harmonies side stage singing as consistently strong – assistant director and vocal coach Landon Bradley deserves high praise for the hours that undoubtedly went into rehearsal. Of course, so does Music Director Eilish Murphy and the entire band, who are wonderfully in sync and get some time in the spotlight with a fantastic overture and entr’acte. William Bradshaw’s sound design brings it all to life, and a few balancing issues are dealt with professionally and quickly.
Ginny Rudd’s hair and makeup design complements Jessamy Bennett’s fantastic costume design – two elements of Mamma Mia! that truly elevate the show. Highlights include the cast drenched in blue and white throughout, Bill and Rosie’s matching yellow wedding outfits, the girls’ long skirts (incorporated effectively into Carthew’s choreography) and, of course, Donna and the Dynamos’ iconic outfits. Every new outfit rocked by the cast, down to the feather boas and 2000s sandals, put a stupid smile on my face and absolutely dazzled.
Hutchings and her entire team – prod, crew and cast – have taken an already crowd-pleasing show and elevated it with so much care and attention. It’s a testament to their work that the audience is jumping, clapping and on their feet for the entire mega-mix of bows. Queen’s College’s Mammia Mia! shows that going the extra mile to bring a cohesive artistic vision to life pulls a production together in the most satisfying way – and most importantly, everyone is grinning, laughing and dancing to the beat of the tambourine.
Queen’s College Music and Drama Society’s Mamma Mia! played September 11th – 13th at the Union Theatre.
GRACE DWYER is a third year Arts student majoring in English and Theatre Studies. She fell in love with student theatre during her first year at college, playing a frog prince – and loves watching and talking about productions almost as much as she loved hopping around the stage.
MYA HELOU (they/them) is an English and Theatre Studies major whose love of theatre was fostered by Shakespeare and classical Greek tragedies. They will take every opportunity to discuss either.
The Dialog is supported by Union House Theatre.
The Dialog 