Right here we go once more! Nearly a decade after its authentic run, Mamma Mia! has formally returned to Broadway.

The beloved ABBA musical has been a cultural phenomenon ever because it first opened on Broadway in 2001, drawing in flocks of theatergoers world wide with its charming premise, dreamy Greek island setting, and completely banger-filled soundtrack comprised of the Swedish pop group's largest hits like "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" and "S.O.S." Two movie variations starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried have solely additional cemented its legacy as one of the crucial well-liked musicals of all time and ushered in a brand new wave of followers equally wanting to hop onboard for their very own "Mamma Mia! summer time."

Now, they'll get the prospect to just do that because the musical returns to its authentic dwelling — the Winter Backyard Theatre — for a six-month-long restricted engagement that won’t reinvent the fabric, however continues to be each bit the dreamy, endlessly endearing expertise that followers know and love.

All of it begins due to a marriage. Particularly one between Sky (Grant Reynolds) and Sophie Sheridan (Amy Weaver), a starry-eyed 20-year-old who doesn't know her father however goals of getting him stroll her down the aisle. Determined to know the reality, she steals her mother Donna’s (Christine Sherrill) diary and finds three potential suitors — wild baby journey author Invoice Austin (Jim Newman), rocker-turned-banker Harry Brilliant (Rob Marnell), and ‘the one which acquired away,’ Sam Carmichael (Victor Wallace) — that she invitations to the ceremony.

What might go improper? Solely all the things. Sophie’s plan shortly spins off the rails as she discovers that it’s a lot tougher to infer which of the trio is her actual dad than she beforehand anticipated. In the meantime, Donna should come to phrases with the real nightmare that’s having three of your exes — whom she by no means informed about their potential daughter Sophie — all of the sudden flip up at your entrance door and asking questions she's not emotionally ready to reply. With the ceremony quick approaching, Sophie and Donna are each compelled to face the music.

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The manufacturing is spearheaded by a joyous ensemble — lots of whom are making the leap to Broadway for the very first time from the Mamma Mia! twenty fifth anniversary tour — that absolutely commits to the fantastic absurdity of Catherine Johnson’s e book with gusto, kicking their flippered ft excessive into the air as they sing “Lay All Your Love On Me” one second after which remodeling right into a swirling vortex of writhing partygoers on the entrancing “Voulez-Vous” the subsequent.

Aided by Anthony Van Laast’s disco-inspired choreography, they reach whipping the gang right into a full-on ABBA frenzy by the top of the musical’s two-and-a-half-hour-long runtime, with a number of theatergoers visibly having the time of their lives as they danced, sang, and cheered alongside from their seats.

Weaver, in her Broadway debut, manages to make each Sophie and her trigger really feel sympathetic, which is not any straightforward feat on condition that the bride-to-be has mainly elected to explode two of probably the most significant relationships in her life on her relentless quest for the reality. Her crystal clear vocals are a spotlight on dreamy tracks like “I Have A Dream” and “Honey Honey,” but it surely’s the areas the place she will get to faucet into Sophie’s fury (“The Title of the Recreation”) and concern (“Underneath Assault”) the place she really shines.

In the meantime, Sherrill, who beforehand performed Donna within the present’s Las Vegas manufacturing, delights audiences together with her fast wit and expertly timed bodily comedy because the actually frazzled, but well-meaning mom of the bride. Nevertheless, her emotional efficiency was a bit extra subdued than one would usually count on from a dynamo like Donna, and her supply of immediate tearjerker tracks like “The Winner Takes It All” and “Slipping Via My Fingers” lacked a way of deep grief that might’ve taken them from stable to extraordinary.

Carly Sakolove and Jalynn Steele are absolute scene stealers (pun absolutely supposed) as Rosie and Tanya, absorbing each single second that they're underneath the stage lights and delivering two of probably the most electrical performances of the night with their knockout renditions of “Take a Likelihood on Me” and “Does Your Mom Know.” Newman and Marnell, because the adventurous Invoice and gentlemanly Harry, respectively, absolutely embrace their kooky characters and revel of their eccentricities, whereas Wallace imbues an affable nature and optimism to Sam.

It’s clear that Mamma Mia! has been sparsely up to date — exterior of maybe taking just a few stylistic cues from the films — within the years because it left Broadway. And whereas it’s necessary to not mess too a lot an already stellar manufacturing, it looks like a missed alternative to not have capitalized on the present's massive Broadway homecoming and brought its romantic island fantasy to the subsequent degree with up to date set items and costuming. Simply consider what these Donna and the Dynamos appears to be like might've been!

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Nonetheless, one blessed inclusion that has carried over is the present’s stay band, which actually brings ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulbaeus’ legendary music and lyrics to life with each ringing electrical guitar riff and tinkering piano chord. That being stated, it was at occasions tough to correctly hear the actors singing over the band's rocking efficiency.

It's been over 25 years since Mamma! Mia first took to the stage, and it's abundantly clear that the fervor surrounding it isn't going anyplace anytime quickly. And it's straightforward to see why: The present is pure sunshine baked right into a musical and wearing disco balls, sequins, and feathered boas. My, my, how might we resist this? Grade: B

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