Abba’s song “Mamma mia,” which literally means my mother in Italian and is used to express surprise at specific moments as well, was a smashing success in 1975, and unlike most songs that die out after being on top of the charts for a while, this song was turned into a musical that has been going for two decades now followed by two movies starred by Hollywood’s biggest names and now an all immersive theatrical package coupled with a dining experience in O2 London, which promises to transport you to a much more elegant version of the tavern on the Island of Sopel’s as seen in movies.
MAMMA MIA! THE PARTY is not only a hit amongst ABBA fans. To my surprise most of the people in the audience had neither watched the movie nor were they huge ABBA fans, yet it was a houseful even on a weekday. The theatre can fit a little over 500 guests, paired with a dozen waiters, some of whom become an integral part of the main act, which is absolutely brilliant.
In the film, the story that unfolds in the tavern is rooted in passion, dreams and love, which transitions smoothly from scene to scene in a well cut sequence with top-notch actors. This is not easy to pull off in real-time with a different audience each time and where your stage is the space between the tables in the tavern. So, a huge shootout goes to the actors and the waiters who are able to include the audience and create a feeling of being carefree in a tavern on a Greek Island.
They keep their promise of serving a scrumptious four-course meal in a timely fashion, and the waiters are also able to sing and dance along as backups to the main actors. The food is authentic Mediterranean: starting with a mezze selection, followed with a succulent lamb with sides and baklava and mint tea at the end. There is plenty to go around and they are well equipped to fulfil all your dietary requirements.
The party starts with a plane dropping the guests off on the Island after which they become a part of the performance. The drama unfolds before you with Kate and her partner Nikos, who run the tavern. The show is divided into three acts with a decent story arc with a beginning, middle and an end and lots of ABBA standards neatly woven into the plot to which I gladly sang along to as did many others.
After the audience is well fed, they get to dance with the actors around the fountain for a bit and it does not end here. After the wedding has taken place at the tavern, the set turns into a disco with the audience dancing along with the actors, which is a unique experience to say the least.
Mamma Mia: The Party first premiered in Stockholm in 2016 and is still running. In O2, London. It has proven to be exceedingly popular and thus had to extend its run to May 31, 2020. If I got a chance, I would go again just to sing along.
The writer is an educationalist and broadcaster. He can be reached on [email protected]