Blockbuster musical Mamma Mia! is coming to Etihad Arena.
After a successful 2021 run at Dubai Opera, the stage sensation will take over the Abu Dhabi venue from June 11 to 22, as the production celebrates 25 years since its debut in London’s West End. Etihad Arena has been bringing big stage productions to Abu Dhabi, including Les Misérables from April 8 to 20 and Disney The Magic Box next month.
Written by British playwright Catherine Johnson and scored to the hits of Abba, the story is set on a Greek island and follows young Sophie’s quest to find her father before her wedding. In addition to the hilarity of some of the oddball characters, including three men who could each be her dad, the story's emotional core lies in her complicated relationship with her mother, which uncovers some uncomfortable home truths.
In 2008, it was adapted into a film starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried, with a sequel released in 2018. To date, the musical has been seen by more than 70 million people in 50 productions and in 16 different languages, according to the website of the show’s creator and producer, Judy Craymer. Mamma Mia! is the ninth-longest-running show on Broadway, where it ran from 2001 to 2015.
It’s success also underscores the popularity of the jukebox musical genre, where the score is made up of hit songs by a popular artist or genre. Broadway and West End hits include Rock of Ages, Moulin Rouge: The Musical, Jersey Boys and A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical.
Actress Lucy May Barker, star of the Dubai Opera version of Mamma Mia!, explained to The National that their timeless appeal comes down to the balance of story and hits. “People want drama. While there are a lot of bands whose songs will be great in a musical, the show will not work if there is not just a good story, but a clever one,” she says. “Both really have to complement each other.”
Mamma Mia! will run at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, from June 11 to 22. Show times will be confirmed soon. Tickets start from Dh125.