'Mamma Mia!' back to Shanghai after 17 years
The original West End musical "Mamma Mia!" is making a return to Shanghai after 17 years. Featuring a dozen of popular songs by Swedish star group ABBA, the musical first met Shanghai audiences back in 2007.
"China had a very new market for musicals that time," said producer Nick Grace, who still remembers his 2007 trip to the city.
"We have been trying to get back here in the last five years, and got postponed twice due to the COVID," he said. "This round of performances will be exactly the same shows in London and what we have brought here 17 years ago."
Written by British playwright Catherine Johnson based on songs recorded by ABBA and composed by members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, the musical has been well received by world's audiences since its debut in 1999, and has been adapted into 16 languages.
According to Grace, the box office of the show reached a historical high in Europe after the pandemic.
"Mamma Mia!" actors meet local fans and media at Shanghai Culture Square.
"I guess people want to see shows that they are familiar with, and that are capable of making them happy," Grace explained the musical's continuous popularity.
"Audiences can just forget everything else and indulge themselves in the 2.5 hours in the theater," he added.
The story centers around a young girl Sophie who dreams of a white wedding, with her father giving her away at the altar. However, she reads her mother's diary and finds that she has three possible daddies. Sophie sends invitations to all of the three, triggering a series of funny and twisting consequences.
The West End musical debuted in 1999.
In recent years, the concept of independent women has become increasingly popular in stage and other artistic creations in China. The determined self-pursuit of the mothers and the daughters in "Mamma Mia!" is also the reason why it remains timeless even after 25 years.
The original musical is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. China is the first stop of its anniversary world tour. After Shanghai, "Mamma Mia!" will also be staged in Hangzhou, Beijing, Nanjing, Zhengzhou, Zhuhai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong through August.
The musical features a dozen of popular songs by Swedish star group ABBA
Performance info
Dates: May 1-16, 2pm/7:30pm
Tickets: 180-1,180 yuan
Venue: Shanghai Culture Square 上海文化广场
Address: 597 Fuxing Rd M. 复兴中路597号
