Mamma Mia! [Original London Cast]

Performer: Original Cast Recording/Original London Cast/Original Soundtrack
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: MAMMA MIA is a musical based on the songs of ABBA. Music and lyrics composed and written by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. Principal cast: Lisa Stokke (Sophie Sheridan); Eliza Lumley (Ali); Melissa Gibson (Lisa); Siobhan McCarthy (Donna Sheridan); Louise Plowright (Tanya); Jenny Galloway (Rosie); Andrew Langtree (Sky); Neal Wright (Pepper); Nigel Harman (Eddie); Paul Clarkson (Harry Bright); Nicolas Colicos (Bill Austin); Hilton McRae (Sam Carmichael); Tom Magdich (Father Alexandrios). MAMMA MIA! was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Composer/Lyricists: Benny Andersson; Bj�rn Ulvaeus. Based on the Broadway musical, which, in turn, is based on vintage ABBA tunes, the 2008 Hollywood adaptation of MAMMA MIA! features the star-studded cast performing classic tracks by the beloved Swedish pop group. While most cast members (including Amanda Seyfried and Pierce Brosnan), acquit themselves admirably, Meryl Streep truly shines on buoyant songs such as the title track and "Dancing Queen." ABBA principals Benny Andersson and Bj�rn Ulvaeus turned to stage musicals after their band's demise and composed two, one of which, CHESS, ran in the West End and on Broadway. For their third stage effort, they returned to their ABBA catalog and put together MAMMA MIA!, a show that employs their old songs (with occasional lyric revisions) in the service of a libretto by Catherine Johnson about a girl who tries to discover her father's identity in time to have him give her away at her wedding. So, how does MAMMA MIA! compare to an ABBA greatest-hits album? Well, the recordings are less fully produced than the originals, and in that sense less impressive. But the originals were sung by Scandinavians who sometimes sounded like they had learned the lyrics phonetically, the vocals often featuring odd phrasing and word emphasis. Here, the songs are being sung by native English speakers, and that is a distinct improvement. Culled from the smash hit London, Toronto, and Broadway musical of the same name, MAMMA MIA is a treasure trove of ABBA hits penned by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, who are also the guiding force behind said production. The theatrical versions of these classics have been reworked somewhat, and the album also includes some pieces not from the original ABBA catalog, but in the main this is a fun workout from the oeuvre of Sweden's biggest export since Volvo cars. While it's a little disorienting to hear familiar songs like these in unfamiliar orchestral settings, the material is strong enough to withstand the reworking it undergoes here. The result is an enjoyable memento of what should prove to be a long-running and popular production.

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