REVIEW: 'Mamma Mia' goes again; my my, how can you resist it?

The "Mamma Mia!" musical has sold millions of tickets on Broadway and in London's West End, in the top 10 all-time-running for each.

But as pretty much everyone says, it's not a great show.

So why does it work? Four Swedish musicians, one acronym and palindrome: ABBA.

It's the epitome of a jukebox musical, built around hits, rather than the old-fashioned kind where original songs are written concurrently with the book (what you'd call a script, in a non-musical). Not to be confused with revues, simpler greatest-hits almost-concerts without emphasis on character or plot, a jukebox musical sells a story through golden oldies.

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Older movies, from "A Hard Day's Night" to "An American in Paris," fit the definition, and on stage there have been jukebox musicals such as "Ain't Misbehavin'," from Fats Waller's oeuvre, as early as the '70s. The 1989 "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" did not fade away, running 12 years in London, but it was another decade before "Mamma Mia!" broke the juke wide open.

Jukebox creations used to run maybe four or five per decade, but in the 23 years since "Mamma Mia!," they've grown to four or more a year. Since the turn of the century, about 100 major jukebox musicals have sprung to stage life.

They're rarely well-reviewed, but ineffable musical connections — whether from Hank Williams, Earth Wind and Fire, Motown, Carole King or The Go Gos — sell them out. Some, such as the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons-based "Jersey Boys," and "Fela!," based on Nigerian singer Fela Kuti, received grudging admiration, but most glide along unhampered by critical slings and arrows.

Show of hands: Anyone in the market for escape?

Theatre Tuscaloosa's production of "Mamma Mia!" has sold so well, the company added a Tuesday night show, to address demand. If you want to go, and haven't already, queue up. The run ends Sunday.

Why does this show exist? ABBA. What's its chief selling point? ABBA. Is there a chance chance chance folks won't dig it? Knowing me, knowing you? Nuh-uh.

Is there any reason to see "Mamma Mia!" if you're not drawn to the shimmery, hook-driven pop of Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, written and recorded over a decade from early '70s to early '80s, when the quartet broke up personally and professionally, mostly?

Possibly.

Theatre Tuscaloosa has been trying to inflate this helium-ship for almost two years, though of course it's been the pandemic that kept it from sailing. Under the loving, capable direction of Stephen Tyler Davis — a University of Alabama Theatre and Dance grad who's been working at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, and last directed the company in its 2019 hit "Grease" — it is up, up and floating merrily away.

Even though the encore falls prey to the dreadful "Oh god, the actors are coming into the audience" mistake, that cringe is elided by the sheer goof preceding. Crowd-folks on opening night seemed eager to join the dancing queens, and kings.

This is still not a great musical. But it may be a great show.

Despite all the harrumph above, it does boast a story, and characters, typed by British playwright Catherine Johnson. Sweet Sophie (Reagan Branch), daughter of once-wild-child Donna (Jamie Shannon Ferguson Ertle) plans to marry on the idyllic Greek island where she grew up. Mom operates a taverna, a cozy restaurant.

Unbeknownst to the mater, Sophie has read diaries suggesting any one of three men might be her biological dad, who she's never met: Sam (Steven Yates), who broke Donna's heart; Bill (Bradley Logan), who helped her get over Sam; and Harry (John Walker), another pal in that summer 21 years back. Sophie invites all three, writing in her mom's name, figuring she'll recognize bio-pop by sight or sensation.

In addition to enjoying one torrid summer in the '70s — though this production isn't nailed to any particular present, by dialogue references it's about when the musical debuted, 1999, during which they will indeed party — Donna sang in a trio with old pals Tanya (Lindsey Jones) and Rosie (Brandy M. Johnson). They're invited, leading to impromptu reunion-singalongs which ease transition into ditties that have little or nothing to do with the plot. Also on the guest list are a plethora of friends of Sophie and her fiance Sky (Sam Allen).

It opens serenely, as Branch, in an appropriately angelic voice, surprisingly for such a young person always powerful, rich and in control, dreams out loud:

"I have a dream, a song to sing/To help me cope, with anything/If you see the wonder, of a fairy tale/You can take the future, even if you fail." ABBA's first language was not English, but the idea gets across. From there, the show rips into "Honey Honey," which is about, um, love? Sex, maybe?

Does it matter? You're already singing along.

The wistful melancholia of that opening points to latter-period — 1979 — ABBA. Agnetha and Anni-Frid, who handled most of the vocals, were married to Björn and Benny, respectively, who wrote most of the material. As relationships fractured, the lyrics and moods, once sunny-shiny, acquired depth, personality. Even though records retained studio gloss, pained lyrics and increasingly emotive performances of songs such as "One of Us" and "The Winner Takes It All" dove into darker emotions.

The book of "Mamma Mia!," such as it is, acknowledges that, and works to cram romantic arcs into otherwise giddy times. You can't help but admire the effort, even as it creates awkward, abrupt changes. Difficult to build an arc when one second you're drunkenly warbling, and in another pushed to express decades of longing and loss.

So it's unsurprising the songs jump, and the lyrics move the story, far more than dialogue or interactions. With an athletic and energized ensemble — especially the men, who could be Olympic gymnasts as well as dancers — the splashy group numbers sweep you along, with the title track lead by Donna and her three begetters, and of course the ubiquitous and inevitable mass "Dancing Queen."

The first act smartly ends with romping "Voulez Vous," all hands and feet on deck, pounding out fairly sly — for ABBA — lyrics. You might recognize the words from "Lady Marmalade," which sang, in French, "Do you want to sleep with (go to bed with) me?" ABBA coyly cuts it at "Do you want?," though the implication's crystal in the chorus: "Take it now or leave it/Now is all we get/Nothing promised, no regrets," possibly the theme song from Donna's youth.

The would-be dads carve distinct figures, such that you might pick one to root for, especially Walker's Harry, who makes his second-act reveal transparent from the get-go, without losing comedic momentum. The flounce and flamboyance work perfectly in this sweet silliness.

Though appearing too young to be mom to a 20-year-old, Ertle offers a smart mix of world-weary and still-crazy, especially when with her old partners. Jones and Johnson — If, like the Supremes, they split from their lead singer, that's not a bad duo name — pop in all the finest senses. Jones' Tanya, even as a woman of a certain age, radiates such unequivocal vibrancy you'll have no trouble believing Sky's contemporaries would fall for her. Johnson's hilarious energy and beautiful belt could draw lovers the way nectar summons butterflies.

Branch makes all the lives better, as their glue, the lift, the dynamo drive of this flying machine. Allen matches her sunniness with an appealing, open-hearted goof; in one of the show's richest themes, Sky and Sophie's relationship mirrors what could have been Donna and Sam's, had all involved been smarter. He adores her; she deserves adoration. Branch, like this ABBA score, shines golden.

There's glitz to gawk at, shiny spectacles from the '70s, across a lovingly, warmly lit — by Erin Hisey — set, constructed as open and airy suggestion, by Richard Dunham. Lindsay Sockler Troha not only brought 30-something varying skills to swiftly dancing feet, but subbed in, last day, for an ailing chorus member, and blended perfectly. Even possessing star quality, Troha knows how to craft a lovely chorus.

On opening night, Theatre Tuscaloosa's gremlins again infested the sound. Mics were out far too often, so dead you couldn't hear lines; feedback groaned worthy of Jimi Hendrix, though not so pleasant. The band shone in the second act, though in the first, the mix was so muddy it sounded like keyboards and drums alone, which, to be fair, isn't far off an ABBA mix.

Donna remained stuck in drab, dumpy duds far too long. Sure, for contrast, to suggest as a working single mom she's too busy to light an old flame, but it's jarring and incongruous with her fiery nature, and Ertle's energy. A couple of songs soared way over the top, even when not intended for comic effect, which suggested lack of trust in the music's abiding power.

But the takeway remains "I do." Heck, you'd pay for the encore/bows. In another show, they'd be overlong. But Theatre Tuscaloosa follows a company reprise of "I Have a Dream" into a bit more "Mamma Mia" and "Dancing Queen," then closes with the effervescent bounce of "Waterloo," which makes zero sense, but, let's face it, you're singing along, aren't you? Here we go again.

'Mamma Mia' dates and tickets

"Mamma Mia!" has performances at 2 p.m. Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Thursday and 7:30 p.m. Friday. The musical's run ends with 2 p.m. matinees Saturday and Sunday.

All will be in the Bean-Brown Theatre, at Theatre Tuscaloosa's home in Shelton State Community College, 9500 Old Greensboro Road. Tickets are $24 general, $20 for seniors and members of the military, and $16 for students and children. For more, call 205-391-2277, or see www.theatretusc.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: REVIEW: 'Mamma Mia' goes again; my my, how can you resist it?