By: Julia Aidan
Submitted: 2009-08-03 20:10:48 | Word Count: 938
Mamma Mia, the saga of a mother daughter duo and three possible fathers in two Acts, is a musical based on the hits of ABBA entertaining millions around the world. It is now in its ninth year in West End, and is, at present playing in London, New York, Las Vegas, Berlin, Essen, Barcelona, Moscow and also on US and international tours; and has achieved extra-ordinary success as a musical hit.
Catherine Johnson hilarious tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. Sophie, a 20-year-old girl, whose paternity is unknown to her, is preparing to marry her fiance, Sky. Since, she wants her father to walk her down the aisle, she finds her mother's old diary and goes through the entries that describe intimate dates with three men, Sam Carmichael, Bill Andersson and Harry Bright. She concludes that, one of these men to be her father. Three months before the wedding she sends invitation letters to the three men writing as her mother, Donna; but without her knowledge.
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On the day of marriage, the three men Sam (an American architect), Harry (a British banker), and Bill (a Swedish writer and adventurer) arrive, and Sophie receives them and convinces them to keep their invitation a secret. When Donna meets them, she is shocked to see her ex-lovers. She is very disturbed and breaks down, but her friends Tanya and Rosie console her. Sophie expected to know who her father was, as soon as she saw the three men, but was utterly confused. So, she tries to tell her fiance Sky, her feelings, without confessing what she had done. But, Sky explains to her that he is the only man in her life and they depart to their respective pre-wedding parties.
At Sophie's Bacherlorette party, Sam, Bill and Harry accidentally walk in and Sophie takes aside Sam and talks to him. When Sam enquires as to why he is here, Sophie feels guilty and instead goes to talk to Harry. When Harry asks whether Sophie's father is at the party, she tells him the whole truth. Lastly, she talks to Bill and finds that Bill's aunt "Sophia" has left all her wealth to Donna's family; and they both feel that probably he is her father, and Sophie asks him to walk her down the aisle. Bill wants to discuss with Donna because it has been a long held secret, but Sophie insists that Donna should not know. Bill agrees. The truth is that Donna is also not aware who the father is, because she slept with the three men in quick succession.
Then Sam approaches Sophie and tells her that he has found out the reason of his invitation and is convinced that he is the father and offers to walk her down the aisle. Sophie is stunned and then Harry arrives and tells that she is her daughter and promises to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day. Sophie is speechless and confused, and leaves the party since she doesn't want to turn down any of them.
Act II of the musical play opens with an upset Sophie telling her mother that her children shall not grow up not knowing their father. As Sophie rushes out, Sam enters and Donna does not listen to whatever Sam is saying, because she hates and never wanted to see him after their affair. But it appears that Donna cared for Sam the most and both desired to go back to the past.
Meanwhile, Sky finds out what Sophie has done by inviting the three lovers of her mother to the wedding. He is hurt and accuses Sophie of keeping this plan a secret from him and wanting a big white wedding only to find out who her father is. Sky storms out and Sam walks in. Sam tries out some fatherly advice for Sophie but she is inconsolable.
On the advice of Tanya, Harry offers Donna to pay for Sophie's wedding and they reminisce about their fling. Sophie arrives in the room and Donna helps her get dressed. Sophie reconciles with her mother and asks Donna to walk her down the aisle. Bill receives a note that Donna will be walking Sophie down the aisle, and he is upset. Rosie is enamoured by Bill, and though committed to a single life he is convinced by Rosie to shed his commitment and they are about to make love. The guests arrive and their plans go awry.
Finally, the wedding begins with Donna walking Sophie down the aisle. Here Donna declares to everyone that Sophie's father is present in the wedding. Sophie also reveals to her mother that she knows about her father. Now Donna realizes the reason why Sophie invited her three ex-lovers. Sophie's paternity is unsettled as no one knows her biological father.
All of a sudden, Sophie stops the wedding and Sky also agrees. Then, Sam seizing the opportunity proposes to Donna and explains how much he loved her and returned broken-hearted from the island after he called of his wedding with his fiancee, only to find that she was going out with another man. Surprisingly, Donna agrees and in the end they are married and Sophie and Sky depart on a round-the-world tour.
The stupendous success of Mamma Mia as a musical comedy with a touching and hilarious storyline and the smooth juxtaposition of ABBA songs with the mood and contexts of the plot. The timeless songs of ABBA and Catherine Johnson's enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, provides the audiences a time of their lives.
