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.

Mamma Mia featuring the music of ABBA is undoubtedly one of the best feelgood musicals going, and I never pass an opportunity to see it. Now, I have also, in the past, never watched any of the TV reality talent shows where the object is to find the next West End star. However, when Mamma Mia – I Have a Dream aired towards the end of last year, I took an interest this time, considering the show. Then, when Stevie Doc and Tobias Turley (the two I had rooted for since Week One) won the final, I said to my then partner, “Let’s go and see them in their first week.”

Little background information. I have said “then partner” for a reason because an hour before curtain, sitting in Trafalgar Square, the lovely Michelle Orton said, “I do. I do, I do, I do, I do, I do,” in answer to my proposal for her to become Mrs Antony N Britt. So, engaged, front frow seats, Mamma Mia and two actors we had voted for on a TV show. What could spoil it?

Absolutely nothing.

This trip to Mamma Mia had the same energy as always; the same entertainment with excellent, well-known songs, plus the highs of what had happened to us immediately before.

Mamma Mia — Young girl getting married wants to know the identity of her father and according to her mothers’ diary, there are three potential suspects. Mamma Mia, I Have a Dream, Super Trouper, Take a Chance on Me, Lay All Your Love on Me, Does Your Mother Know … the list goes on. All instantly recognisable songs. Then there are the lesser so. Slipping Through My Fingers is beautiful and Under Attack is far better in this show than it ever was as an ABBA single.

Our two reality winners played Sophie and Sky and looked totally at home in the West End. Stevie Doc owned the stage from start to finish with excellent vocals and wonderful characterisation. She was the perfect Sophie and although not in the forefront of the show as much, Tobias Turley also grabbed his role and, in my opinion, made a better Sky than Dominic Cooper did in the 2008 film.

But it wasn’t just about Stevie and Tobias. Mazz Murray has played Donna Sheriden for a while now and you can see why. A commanding performance, especially during The Winner Takes it All. Supporting well, though, were Kate Graham (Tanya), Samantha Ivy (Rosie), Haydn Oakley (Sam), Stephen Beckett (Bill), Christopher Dickins (Harry), Jessie Odeleye (Ali), Izzy Cross (Lisa), Bradley Perret (Pepper), Chay Wills (Eddie) and John-Paul Birss (Father Alexander).

An excellent band was conducted by Mark Smith, and they really brought that live magic of ABBA to the stage. Forget avatars singing to pre-recorded tracks, go and see Mamma Mia instead. I must also mention the wonderful choreography of Anthony Van-Laast as (and I am sure I have said this before in earlier Mamma Mia reviews) Voulez-Vous is the most energetic and amazing dance sequence going in musical theatre.

This show always leaves you buzzing, and a magical end to a magical day. Plus, the icing on the cake was meeting our two Mamma Mia – I Have a Dream winners, Stevie and Tobias at the stage door. Brilliant.

Cheers.

Antony N Britt

* All Photos taken from Social Media and may not be exact representations of the cast from the performance reviewed.