Bankstown Theatre Company: Mamma Mia - Review by Elizabeth McIntosh

I have always wanted to see Greece in the summer time. Going on a beautiful Mediterranean holiday has always been something I have dreamed of doing but could never afford. However, with the current state the economy is in, I have come to the realisation I may not get a euro summer vacation any time soon…

Photography courtesy of Grant Leslie

To satiate this wanderlust while on a budget I have instead taken a staycation in my backyard and have found the perfect substitute to capture the feeling of summer sun on the skin, a glass of ouzo in one hand and a tray of dolmades being brought to the table.

Located within the Sydney suburb of Bankstown at the Bryan Brown Theatre. Walking through the theatre doors and taking a seat as the theater lights dim, I am now transported to the island of Kalokairi.

Bankstown Theatre Company’s Mamma Mia! is directed by Jessica Green, who is making her directorial debut for Bankstown Theatre Company. Jess brings a wealth of experience from her years of performing and this is evident in what was achieved in the final product. From the utilization of the unique space of the theatre, the creation of set pieces and lighting that compliment the stage and enhance the performers story telling, assembling a strong creative team as well as guiding a very talented group of performers, Jess has successfully combined all of these elements in order to bring a lot of heart but also maintaining the very zany and camp spirit of the source material to life.

Photography courtesy of Grant Leslie

Some of the stand outs from the creative team include Dennis Clement’s set design, Dennis is well known for his ability to bring the stage to life using unique set design elements, his familiarity with designing for the Bryan Brown theater stage means that the attention to the smallest detail is never overlooked. The set itself was fairly simple and did not contain many moving parts but when paired with the great use of dynamic lighting designed by Reuben Hung, and the really playful costume designs. They managed to suspend my disbelief for a short while and transport me to the small Greek island where the story takes place.

Dean Turner as Musical Director for the show has the job of bringing the music to life along with the compliment of a full live band. The musical itself consists of a selection of insanely popular and catchy songs by the Swedish pop group ABBA and I have to admit, having only seen the show once before many years ago this did not mean I was unfamiliar with the music, these songs are classics we all know that you will be struggling not to sing along to. Thankfully there is an announcement that the audience can join in for a sing along at the end and after a couple of the specialty themed cocktails on offer at the bar during intermission I was joining in for the sing along without hesitation.

Sherry-Anne Hayes brings a beautiful amount of earnestness to the role of Donna Sheridan, being on stage for most of the show and singing in majority of the numbers is no easy task but seemingly all in a days work for the consummate performer, her ability to convey the characters complex emotions were particularly impactful during “The Winner Takes It all” and as she is singing to her daughter Sophie on her wedding day during “Slipping Through My Fingers”.

Photography courtesy of Grant Leslie

Sophie, played by Katie Vials, did a wonderful job of bringing this character to life. She portrayed the innocence of the young Sophie wanting to be married to appear grown up and grounded, as well as showing the naivety and at times childish nature of the character. Katie’s stellar vocals bookend the show and her rendition of “I Have a Dream” is such a touching highlight.

Nathan Howard, James Fuary and Daniel Conway as Sam, Bill and Harry are the right mix of funny and fatherly as Donna’s past lovers all slowly figuring out they may be Sophie’s dad after they are summoned to the island to attend her wedding. Each brought their own flavor to their respective characters, Nathan’s Sam was played quite serious and at times stern with Sophie, overstepping as the newly discovered father but his character softened as well towards the end and had some very heart felt scenes with both Donna and Sophie. James as the free spirited Bill was played with plenty of heart and also had some great comedy moments (“Take a Chance On Me” with Rosie chasing him around the pews as the target of her sudden affections had the audience roaring with laughter). Daniel as the reformed wild child Harry had stand out vocals and was eye catching with his characterisations, from when he was standing up the back of a scene, timidly drinking a beer while watching a drag queen dancing to when he was the center of a scene, I always found myself drawn to watching what he might be doing next.

Photography courtesy of Grant Leslie

The vivacious Tanya was played by Lauren Whelan who commands your attention from the moment she enters the stage, Lauren’s performance was witty and comedic, from the great vocals to smashing out really high energy choreography, she made it look easy and took it all in her stiletto-wearing stride.

Anita Newstead’s Rosie was a delightfully funny addition to the dynamic trio of Donna and the Dynamos, her characterisation was very sweet and at times had an almost naive energy which was very endearing, she also had some hilarious comedic scenes which all played really well and were so well received by the audience.

Sky is played by Benjamin Olivera, who I learned was a late addition to the cast, this is in no way evident in his performance as Ben has stepped into this role as though he was rehearsing from the very beginning, performing every number he is in to the highest calibre, never missing a line, delivering energetic choreography and maintaining great chemistry with anyone he shares a scene with, he stepped up to the challenge at short notice and shines in his performance.

Seamus Fuary as Pepper and Layth Tabbaa as Eddie are delightfully funny as Sky’s friends who also work at the hotel, Seamus was a standout dancer showcasing some really impressive moves, he and Layth both shone with their high energy performances.

Grace Ellis and Emily Moudanidis as Sophie’s best friends Ali and Lisa were high spirited and energetic from the moment they ran onto the stage screaming “SOPHIE!!”, both maintained the same energy throughout the show and were always eye-catching and animated in the group dance numbers.

The ensemble is what makes a show and this one is no different, there are so many talented individuals within the ensemble of this show that to single out and speak of each person would need another review in its own right. The ensemble set the tone for a lot of scenes with their energy, funny reactions in the background to lines being said, at times there is a lot of physical comedy happening in the background which just enhances the absurdity and campness of some of the scenes.

Photography courtesy of Grant Leslie

This show had a lot of challenging choreography and high-energy dance numbers that rely on the drive of the ensemble to achieve, choreographed by Charlotte Wickson, these numbers demanded a lot of the ensemble who all stepped up to the challenge, whether they were dancing in flippers or platform boots.

As I got to see this show on its opening night there were the obvious teething issues that happen with all shows, maybe a missed sound or lighting cue here and there but this is to be expected and should be ironed out once everyone settles into the theatre.

I thoroughly enjoyed Bankstown Theatre Company’s production of Mamma Mia! and my trip to the island of Kalokairi. Thank you for having me and thank you for the music.