The Return of Mama Mia! The Musical

 The hit global musical, “MAMMA MIA!”, would be returning to Singapore this October. It features ABBA’s evergreen songs with a sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads unfolding on a Greek island. The musical was last staged in Singapore in 2018.

 The hugely successful English-language International Tour premiered in Dublin in September 2004 and, to date, has visited 41countries, performed more than 3,500 shows and has been seen by over 7 million people. In 2011 MAMMA MIA! became the first Western musical ever to be staged in Mandarin in the People’s Republic of China and became the 8th longest running show in Broadway history where it played a record-breaking run for 14 years. 

For fans of the music of ABBA, you would be treated with hits such as “Dancing Queen”, “Take A Chance On Me”, “The Winner Takes It All”, “Does Your Mother Know” and of course “Mamma Mia”. The use of songs in the musicals was clever. 

With music & lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, “MAMMA MIA!” is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. The production is designed by Mark Thompson, with lighting designby Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce & Bobby Aitken, and musical supervision, additional material and arrangements by Martin Koch. 

Ticket information

Performance Season: 19 October to 5 November 2023 

Performance Venue: Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands

Performance Times : Tuesdays to Fridays - 8pm; Saturdays- 2pm & 8pm; Sundays; 1pm & 6.30pm Performance Duration: 150 minutes including 20 minutes intermission 

Ticket Booking Links: 

Marina Bay Sands: https://www.marinabaysands.com/entertainment/shows/mamma-mia.html

SISTIC: https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/mammamia1123 

Presented By Base Entertainment Asia

Review: Cats The Musical at Marina Bay Sands

Cats the Musical has been staged three or four times in Singapore since it landed on our shores in the early 1990s.  It was the first long run musical playing in Singapore, held at the Kallang Theatre.  The show last played in Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands Theatres in 2015.

It would be my third time watching the musical.  For some reasons, I did not enjoy my first encounter of Cats in London West End.  This could be because I prefer musicals with a strong storyline.  I did have a change of opinion when I saw it again in 2015 at the MBS Theatre in 2015, due to a good cast and staging. (Review of 2015 Cats The Musical)

Based on T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the musical took place in a junkyard where on one special night of the year, the Jellicle Cats would tell their stories to the wise Old Deuteronomy, who would then choose one of the Cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn.

The problem with, or uniqueness of, Cats the Musical is that it does not have a strong narrative.  It is made up of different segments of tales related by the Jellicle cats. It is thus left to the director and cast to deliver each individual segment.  Fortunately, the cast did not disappoint.   Joanna Ampil’s Grizabella had both the emotions and the voice for an old and outcast cat.  Her rendition of “Memories” was touching. (However, her costume still looked glam to me!).   I also like the segments by Skimbleshanks (the railway cats), Gus the Theatre Cat, and Mr Mistoffelees.  The set design extended to the auditorium and the Jellicle Cats appeared among the audience at times.  While it added some fun to the audience, I did not feel it was necessary.

The bad acoustics of the MBS theatres did not occur this time, and it thus made a pleasant theatre going experience.

Overall, this production has strong production values and the cast is enthusiastic.  Good night out for families, and for those who want to find out more before catching the movie version.

The show runs till 5 Jan 2020.   Tickets available at sistic.com.sg.

Phantom of the Opera: Review

It’s no small wonder that the Phantom of the Opera is still playing after 30 years.  The musical returns to Singapore for the second time this decade, and audience is expected to pack the auditorium.

The set of seemed to be smaller than the previous production but it was more striking.  A smaller staging area allowed for intimate interaction among the cast.  The sound, the main complaints for the theatre, was perfect on the gala night.

The Phantom of the Opera opens 24 April!

The ever popular musical The Phantom of the Opera would be returning to our shores in April.  The production opens 24 April for a limited run at the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands
Tickets are now on sale through SISTIC (www.sistic.com.sg) and Marina Bay Sands ticketing.

The Phantom Of the Opera tells the tale of a disfigured musical genius ‘The Phantom’ who haunts the depths of the Paris Opera House.  Mesmerised by the talents and beauty of a young soprano, Christine, the Phantom lures her as his protégé and falls fiercely in love with her. Unaware of Christine’s love for Raoul, the Phantom’s obsession sets the scene for a dramatic turn of events where jealousy, madness and passions collide.

Adapted from a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux, Andrew Llyod Webber’s Phantom of the Opera has, since its dubit in 1986, won over 70 major theatre awards, including seven Tony’s on Broadway and four Olivier Awards in the West End.  The musical became the longest running show in Broadway history in 2006 when it surpassed “Cats”, another Lloyd Webber’s musical.  It has been in Broadway for over 30 years.

Jonathan Roxmouth and Meghan Picerno would play the roles of the Phantom and Christine respectively.