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| A scene from the musical, "Mama Mia!" / Courtesy of Seensee Company |
Musical 'Mama Mia!' to run through June 25
By Dong Sun-hwa
The musical "Mama Mia!" is a theatrical show for everyone. Young theatergoers can easily empathize with 20-year-old Sophie, who strives to learn about her authentic self. The older generation can relate to Sophie's mother Donna, a strong and unshakable single mom fighting against all odds.
"Mama Mia!" is one of the most popular musicals in Korea. It has been staged 1,791 times since its Korean premiere in 2004, attracting more than 2 million theatergoers nationwide. Written by British playwright Catherine Johnson based on songs by Swedish disco group ABBA, the jukebox musical was named after ABBA's 1975 smash hit, "Mamma Mia."
Set on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi, "Mama Mia!" follows Sophie, a young bride-to-be who has always wanted to know who her real father is. So she uses her mother's name to invite three "potential fathers" ― Sam Carmichael, Bill Austin and Harry Bright ― to her wedding, dreaming of walking down the aisle with her father. She later clashes with her fiance Sky and Donna for what she has done. However, as the story unfolds, she finds different ways to handle the arising conflicts and manages to discover her true self.
Veteran actresses Choi Jung-won and Shin Young-sook alternate the role of Donna, with actresses Kim Hwan-hee and Choi Tae-yi playing Sophie in turn. Kim Jung-min and Jang Hyun-sung assume the role of Sam, while Lee Hyun-woo and Min Young-ki play Harry. Bill is played by Kim Jin-soo and Song Il-kook.
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| A scene from the musical, "Mama Mia!" / Courtesy of Seensee Company |
The crown jewels of "Mama Mia!" are the Korean versions of ABBA's mega-hits, which easily get people in a festive mood. From "Dancing Queen" to "Honey, Honey" to "The Winner Takes It All," the big hit songs evoke a sense of nostalgia among audiences.
"The Korean production team poured a lot of time into translating the lyrics of ABBA's songs so that the Korean lyrics can best reflect the story and its messages," Seensee Company, the production company behind "Mama Mia!" said. "Our audience will be able to discover new meaning in ABBA's lyrics and realize how well they match the songs."
According to Seensee Company, 220 outfits and 155 pairs of shoes were designed just for "Mama Mia!" Among them, Super Trouper ― which is reminiscent of the glamorous stage outfits donned by ABBA members ― has been particularly praised by experts for its quality. It also symbolize Donna and her friends' glory days when they were performing as the all-female group Donna and The Dynamos. However, some may consider the blue-and-white stage as not having enough props and designs to pump up the dreamy mood of a beautiful fictional island.
Nevertheless, "Mama Mia!" is meaningful for all its actors.
"Performing in 'Mama Mia!' has always been my dream since I started my career," actress Shin Young-sook said. "It is a flawless show weaving together the stories of diverse characters and ABBA's music. My character Donna is an independent woman who experiences an emotional rollercoaster and stumbles upon a lot of unexpected events. But how can I not fall in love with this show, which ends up being a feast for everyone?"
Choi Tae-yi said, "My character Sophie looks bright and positive, but upon closer inspection, she is an ordinary person who sometimes hurts others but learns from her mistakes. I have worked hard to highlight this aspect."
"Mama Mia!" is scheduled to run through June 25 at the Chungmu Art Center in Seoul.
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