Mamma Mia!
With more than 60 million visitors in 440 cities worldwide, it is one of the most successful musicals of all time. Having previously run for five years in Hamburg from 2002 to 2007, audiences know Mamma Mia! has a recipe for success: an irresistible mixture of humour, heart and love of life combined with 22 ABBA super hits. Starting of September 2022, audiences at the Neue Flora Stage Theater had the chance to be carried away by this hit musical once again for a several-month run.
A Greek Wedding and Paternity Mystery
Single mother Donna runs a self-built tavern on a small Greek island with her daughter Sophie. Donna is an independent woman and gets along well without a man, but Sophie is a romantic who wants nothing more than to meet her father. Shortly before her upcoming wedding, Sophie discovers her mother’s old diary; the scribblings reveal three possible candidates who could be Sophie’s father. Without further ado, Sophie invites all three to the wedding – without telling her mother. When Donna's old friends show up on the island, the colourful chaos that ensues is perfection. But who is Sophie's father? And can one of the old suitors stir Donna's heart once again?
Creators Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus
The two ABBA frontmen Benny Anderson and Björn Ulvaeus not only composed the band's hit songs, but also created the musical, which is named after one of their most famous songs. Together with author Catherine Johnson, they created a musical based on ABBA's songs, which doesn’t deal with the history of the band in terms of content. Instead, a fun-loving pop musical full of wit and charm was created. The film adaptation starring favourites like Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan was a huge hit in 2008.
A Note on Language:
Like all of Hamburg’s Musicals, Mamma Mia! was in German. However, anyone familiar with ABBA's music or even the 2008 film was be able to follow along thanks to the universally comprehensible spectacle of dance and music.