Mamma Mia Hit the Mark!

My plan this week was to be preparing for the state title game at the DCU Center on Saturday night.  Well, things happen and we lost in the District Final.  However, my wife had purchased tickets to see "Mamma Mia!" at the Hanover Theater this week.  On Thursday night, the Baseball Widow and I took in the final performance of the three show stop.   I'm not much into musicals but since The Hanover Theater opened we have made it a point to support the local theater and with any hope it will revive the downtown Worcester landscape.

The Baseball Widow really wanted to see this show and made it a point to get tickets.  I had seen it in Las Vegas several years ago, which just goes to show you that gambling and drinking will make you just about anything.  

We arrived about 10 minutes before curtain.  Ironically enough the lady who was sitting next to me introduced herself as "Chelsie Williams, teacher", who just happened to be playing "Sophie", the confused daughter of the main character.  They came down from Windham, Maine to catch Chelsie's performance.  She even told me a story of how her son, who she described looked like a character on "Duck Dynasty" went to see her in St. Louis.

I must say that the show kept me entertained.  I don't know what it is but the band ABBA seems to make everyone reminisce of older times.  I must admit, until Mamma Mia came out I only remembered two ABBA songs, "Dancing Queen" and "Fernando".  Oddly enough, the title track was never on my radar.  As you go through the performance you sense the "They did this song too?"

I thought the acting was good, the orchestra was phenomenal and the singing was mostly on point.  There was one character that was not on key as much as you would expected.  Yet, she was still not worse than Pierce Brosnan in the movie version of the musical.  One point to note that the male lead (Sam, played by Jeff Drushal) reminded me of Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live), I don’t know why.

If you saw the movie and not the theatrical version please refrain from saying that you saw it.  The movie did this show no justice.  Besides the fact that Pierce Brosnan is as good a singer as I am, I feel that movie versions of theater shows are always over directed and miss that range you see in actors.  I would have to say that the only movie depiction that was better than the theatrical version has to be Grease.

But, if you ever get the chance to go see "Mamma Mia!" you must be aware of your surroundings.  For some reason the show really engages the audience and there seems to be dancing, clapping and singing along throughout the whole performance.  There was one woman at the end of our row who thought she was at "Polly Esta's" at every song, including the ballads.  Nothing engages the audience more than the finale.  It is treated somewhat of an encore at a rock concert, where the main characters belt out the two biggest hits, "Dancing Queen" and the title track, as the audience stands up, claps, sings and dances.  If you are one to leave while the actors are taking their bows, then you missed it.

Overall, I would say I enjoyed my night out.  A rare "date night" with the Baseball Widow, supporting a local business and taking a performance of a world renowned show.  If you don't get to see "Mamma Mia!” you should at least get to the Hanover for one of their other shows that come through town.  You will not be upset.

3D

If you don't take it from, ask my wife