Connecting through ABBA hits

IT'S pretty certain that Swedish pop group ABBA are never getting back together, but ABBA-mania lives on through the songs of the award-winning jukebox musical Mamma Mia!, which is playing here till mid-December.

It made its debut in West End in 1999; weaving together over 20 of the band's best-known songs, including hits like Super Trouper, Dancing Queen, Take A Chance On Me, Voulez Vous, and, of course, the title track Mamma Mia into the storyline.

Of the musical, resident director Nick Evans says: "The music speaks for itself, but it's also served by some terrific writing and a clever plot."

He adds: "The fascinating thing about ABBA's music is that it has been around for 40 years - and like The Beatles or Elton John, it's become part of the DNA of pop music."

The story revolves around a soon-to-be-married 20-year-old girl named Sophie who has no idea who her father is because her single mother, Donna, has never told her much about him.

So after scouring her mother's old diary, Sophie tracks down three of her mother's ex-lovers whom she feels could include her biological father, and invites them to come visit before the wedding. Her motive is to figure out which one is her dad, in hopes of having him walk her down the aisle.

Like many other famous musicals, Mamma Mia! also had a movie version, which hit cinemas in 2008 and starred Meryl Streep as Donna and Amanda Seyfried as Sophie, as well as Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard as the three ex-lovers.

But it doesn't matter if you have already seen the film, because, according to Evans, seeing the musical is an entirely different experience altogether. He explains: "The film version has obviously become very loved and hugely successful . . . But there is nothing quite like 'live theatre', when you sit in an audience and you share the story and, in a way, your laughter, applause and sometimes tears inform the atmosphere of the show."

As a self-proclaimed "huge fan" of ABBA herself, theatre actress Sara Poyzer who plays Donna in this international tour of the musical says it was the music that was one of the biggest draws for her.

"(ABBA) wrote brilliant, story-telling pop songs with wonderful melodies and lyrics," she says. Poyzer recalls the first time she heard their music was when she had chicken pox at around the age of 10 and her dad bought her their greatest hits album.

Evans too, has fond memories of listening to ABBA's music, and reveals that Super Trouper always transports him back to his boyhood because of the cassette tape he owned when he was seven.

He expresses that his hope for touring the musical is ultimately for audiences to have a chance to connect with Mamma Mia! as well as its music.

He says: "It's a thrill to hear waves of laughter, and wonderful to see an audience member wipe away a tear when the emotional scenes take place. But sometimes the most gratifying responses come from quiet, attentive listeners, who tell you afterwards, 'She reminded me of my mother' or 'He is just like my dad'. It's nice to work on something that people personally resonate with."

rachloi@sph.com.sg

@RachelLoiBT

Mamma Mia! runs till Dec 14 at the Grand Theatre at Marina Bay Sands, at 8pm from Tues to Fri, 2pm and 8pm on Sat, and 1pm and 6pm on Sun. Tickets from S$95 to S$230 available at SISTIC and at the performance venue.