Abba mania takes hold with Mamma Mia!

THERE'S a certain kind of audience that every jukebox musical is bound to attract - the nostalgic fans who show up purely for the sake of reliving the music.

So it was no surprise that almost half the audience jumped to their feet when the cast of the hit musical Mamma Mia! broke out in Abba's trademark spangly flares and platform shoes to perform three encore numbers at the end of the show.

The musical on the other hand, began on a sentimental note, with Sophie (played by Niamh Perry) singing I Have A Dream as she mailed three wedding invitations to the three men she suspected of being her father.

But it quickly revealed itself to be the raunchier sister of the 2008 film version (starring Amanda Seyfried as Sophie and Meryl Streep as her mother Donna), when Sophie's two best friends showed up and the three broke into a version of Honey Honey accompanied by lewd dance moves.

Aside from that, the musical fits nicely into a cookie-cutter model for a feel-good night out at the theatre, complete with a picture-postcard set depicting the islands of Greece, and a cheesy lovey-dovey storyline. But since it rides on the strength of Abba's timeless pop hits, perhaps it isn't a bad bet to take a chance on Mamma Mia!.

Mamma Mia! runs till Dec 14 at the Grand Theatre at Marina Bay Sands, at various timings. Tickets from S$95 to S$230 available at Sistic and at the performance venue