It's not often a touring production lives up to the standard of its west end counterpart.
But the cast of the International Tour for Mamma Mia! have done just that. The much-anticipated arrival of the production at the Wales Millennium Centre lived up to expectations as it transported the audience from a dismal Cardiff evening to a sun-kissed Greek island, with all the glitz and glamour of the 70s.
Based on a book by Catherine Johnson, the production tells the tale of bride-to-be Sophie, on a mission to find her real father. Her plan of inviting three possible contenders to her wedding, without her mother Donna's knowledge, leads to inevitable chaos. Fuse this hilarious yet emotive plot with music from 70s legends ABBA and high octane choreography, and you have the ultimate feel-good production.
The rapport between the cast leads to a performance which fully engages the audience from when the curtain is raised until the finale – which deservedly received a standing ovation. Although the vocals of leading ladies Sophie (Miria Parvin) and Donna (Jackie Clune) are flawless and utterly breathtaking – particularly Clune's rendition of The Winner Takes It All – the stars of the show are the duo Rosie (Leanne Rogers) and Tanya (Kate Graham), Donna's old-school sidekicks. The pair's comic timing and hilarious on-stage relationship makes the performance a laugh-a-minute and instantly satisfying.
The admittedly rushed storytelling in the second half unfortunately means the more emotive scenes of the production lose their connection with the audience. This is made up for, however, by the slick and effortless work of the ensemble performances. Particular credit has to be given to the male members, who carry out jaw-dropping moves with charming boyish swagger – giving the predominantly female audience a real treat.
The International Tour of Mamma Mia! leaves you with Abba tunes stuck in your head and an infectious smile on your face, an immensely entertaining night out.
Today's guest blogger is Catrin Shi, a postgraduate journalism diploma student at Cardiff University. You can see her dance blog here.
