Susan Granger’s review of “MAMMA MIA!” (Wintergarden Theater)
This whimsical musical comedy celebrates the happy marriage of rock ‘n’ roll with theater. Utilizing the songs of the Swedish pop group ABBA, the show is a delightful crowd-pleaser. So it’s critical carping to point out that the sitcom script is ridiculous and the dialogue cliché-drenched. Audiences love it! The predictably corny story – remarkably similar to the 1968 movie “Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell” – revolves around the upcoming nuptials of 20 year-old Sophie (Tina Maddigan) whose free-spirited, hippie mother Donna (Louise Petrie) owns a taverna on an idyllic Greek island. Sophie longs to be walked down the aisle by her father, but she doesn’t know who her biological father is. By studying her mother’s diary, she narrows the field down to three men with whom her mother was involved when she was conceived. So, unbeknownst to her mother, she invites all three of the them to the island, each unaware of her true motives. Also on hand are Donna’s two best friends, played by Judy Kaye and Karen Mason. Director Phyllida Lloyd rejoices in Catherine Johnson’s concept’s campy quality, plunging into “Dancing Queen,” “S.O.S.,” “Money Money Money,” and “Chiquita” with bouncy exuberance. Van Lasst’s artful choreography scores high marks, particularly “Lay All Your Love On Me,” performed by a male chorus clad in flippers and snorkels. And credit Mark Thompson’s simple yet flexible set. With her bombastic energy and mature sensuality, Louise Petrie is sensational, stopping the show in the second act with the poignant “The Winner Takes It All.” Like “Saturday Night Fever,” warm, wacky “Mamma Mia!” scores pop-solid at the box-office which, after all, is where it counts.