“What is ABBA?”
Those were the profound (perhaps immortal) words spoken by Antoine Mehouelley, a name regular readers will recognize. In a recent venture, The Scribe’s resident culinary expert branched his skill set to the stage, participating in the ensemble of OakTech Rep’s production of Mamma Mia!
The question weighed heavily upon me in the days leading up to my viewing of the play. What is ABBA, really? What is it about the spirit of their music that has made it such a fantastic, campy component to the storytelling in Mamma Mia? And can anyone’s recreation truly measure up?
The last production of the school year, Mamma Mia, began rehearsals in January, with students getting a sneak peek of two numbers during an assembly in March, where actors performed “Money, Money, Money” and “Dancing Queen.”
I went to the play on closing night, where a packed auditorium buzzed loudly with chatter before the show.
The set design is the first element that caught my eye, with a keen attention to detail that can only truly be summed up in a word: Greek. White and blue colors dominate the set, mixed with the charm of flower-woven trellises, a tiled fountain, and ladders leading to the balconies some of the key song and dance numbers are performed.
Larkspur, who plays Donna, immediately makes their powerful stage presence known in “Money, Money, Money,” belting out each iconic verse while performing impressive choreography with the ensemble, who line up chairs for them to strut across.
The dynamic of the female friends stands out vibrantly as Donna, Tanya (played by Celia Hood), and Rosie (Graciela Ortega) sing “Chiquitita” and “Super Trouper.” Clad in golden jumpsuits (a costume highlight, among many others) and prop microphones, the trio had me singing along from the first line of “Super Trouper.”
I cannot in good conscience write this article without mentioning the minor characters whose performances quite nearly stole the entire show for me: Celia Hood and Griffin Bierner as Tanya and Pepper. On their own, the characters they play are hilarious, thus, the combined stage presence of the pair is a theatre match made in heaven. They are a dynamic duo, quick and witty with their line deliveries, and their phenomenal performance of “Does Your Mother Know” is the cherry on top.
Donna and Sophie (played by Dannys Lumpkin) share an emotional performance of the mother-daughter dynamic that is such a central force in the play’s theme through their rendition of “Slipping Through My Fingers.” Later, Larkspur’s performance of “The Winner Takes It All” nearly shook the auditorium, with vocals seeped in emotion that was met with thunderous applause, perhaps rivaling that of Meryl Streep.
The show ends with an ensemble performance of “Waterloo,” and when the cast points to the audience as the final line rolls off their tongues, it seemed to me as an invitation to see themselves within the story, which is what I believe to be the answer to the question that initiated this article. The songs of ABBA communicate an intimate, though ultimately universal range of human experiences. Through laughter, emotion, and undeniable campiness, Mamma Mia was a lighthearted, sometimes poignant show that made me want to hug my mom and take a Greek vacation with my girlfriends.