Last week, Broadway World attended the world-renowned musical Mamma Mia! at Luxembourg’s Rockhal. The show was so close to selling out when ticket sales opened that extra performances had to be added to accommodate the eager audience. As expected, for two and a half hours, we were delighted by some of the greatest hits of a generation, woven together to tell the well-known story of Donna, Sophie, and her three fathers. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights:
Best Performer: Ellie Kingdon (Sophie). It’s hard to imagine anyone who watched the show disagreeing with this choice. Kingdon was not only the best singer and actress but also a formidably talented dancer, often joining the rest of the ensemble in group numbers. Her presence stood out as both the guiding thread of the narrative and a gravitational center on stage for her fellow performers.
Best Solo Number: Steph Parry’s The Winner Takes It All. While technically a duet, this song is all about Donna. Parry manages to perfectly balance her singing and acting skills to deliver a fabulous rendition of this timeless song. Years of unspoken pain and longing are finally brought to words through the tired eyes of someone who seems to have surrendered to this fatalistic outcome.
Best Group Number: It’s pretty hard to stick to just one, so we’ll go with Does Your Mother Know and the encores at the end of the show. Sarah Earnshaw’s Tanya is easily the funniest character on stage, and this song is the climax of her entire performance. Up until this point, she has delivered the best one-liners and comedic timing, but her face-off with last night’s mistake fully brings out the sassiness of a woman who knows her place in the universe. As for the encores, it was simply delightful to see the entire company just having fun. Every group number was fantastic in its own right, but having the main cast fully mixed with the rest of the ensemble, showing us why every person on stage is a gifted performer, was a wonderful way to end a great night.
This was truly an event to remember.
To reach out to the writer: nuno.de.sousa.lopes@gmail.com
Photo Credit: © Brinkhoff / Mögenburg
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