The Jukebox Musical: Mamma Mia!

Ok, so hear me out. If you want to call me a fake musical theatre fan, that fine, but I insist it is not my fault. I cannot keep this secret from you anymore…

I have never seen Mamma Mia!

I know, I know. You say what a classic jukebox musical; how can you call yourself a fan of musical theatre and you have not seen it. Well, I was always going to, but you see I am a very busy person. So it sat on My List on Netflix for months, and just when I was about to watch it, poof, it disappeared from Netflix. 

A few weeks ago, I noticed it was back on Netflix, but amid all the business of this crazy semester, I couldn’t find the time to watch it. So when the textbook mentioned Jukebox Musicals and Mamma Mia! specifically, I took it as a sign from the universe that I must watch it! 

So without further ado,

Here are my thoughts on Mamma Mia!

One of my first thoughts was I wondered how the playwright constructed the story around the songs. I know that the songs of ABBA came first, but I would find it such a daunting task to build a story from the works of an artist. I think the fact that the musical is based on the songs of ABBA leads to the film overall lacking a compelling and complex story. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie, but it felt there was a lack of substance to the plot. The goal laid out at the beginning of the film is that Sophie wants to figure out who her dad is and have him at her wedding. And in the end, spoiler alert, she does not concretely find out who her dad is, and she does not get married. It is a typical happy-go-lucky musical in this sense, but I feel it does not compare to the likeness of Hamilton or Come From Away as they tell stories with more substance and a clear sense of purpose. 

I am a big fan of the spectacle in film adaptations of musicals! I love to see the big flashy dance numbers on stage, and I especially enjoy when the song and dance carry the story. When the spectacle is so amazing, you don’t even question the silly or absurd things during these scenes. The visuals draw you into the story and add flare to the movie. Another film that did this fantastically was In the Heights, which came out earlier this year. Big dance numbers like those in In the Heights and Mamma Mia! keep the connection to staged musical theatre alive. But, I am left to wonder, what would the staged production be like?

Finally, I cannot talk about a musical without talking about the music! I was enthralled with the song choices, and each time a song started, I was so excited. I think this real love came from already knowing the songs! When watching Hamilton the first time, I didn’t know any of the songs, so I wasn’t as into the musical as when I watched it the second time around now knowing the songs!

Next up on my to-watch list: 

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again