‘Mamma Mia!’ Broadway review — have the time of your life at the still-joyous ABBA musical

Read our review of Oh mama! on Broadway. Therefore, the first revival of the beloved musical comedy that features the songs of ABBA and spawned two hit movies.

There’s a throwaway line in Catherine Johnson’s script for the ABBA jukebox musical Oh mama! that stuck with me after the final pair of ’70s platform boots left the Winter Garden Theatre stage. However, When single mom Donna is unexpectedly reunited with her three former lovers (one of whom is likely her daughter’s father) after 20 years. Nevertheless, she claims to BFFs Tanya and Rosie that she has “grown up” and is no longer that carefree, promiscuous, and unguarded girl. However, Cue ultra-chic Tanya, who flicks a perfectly manicured hand and chides, “Well, grow back down again!”

That directive is key to Oh mama! at large, no? Nevertheless, Leave rationality. For example, the real world ‘mamma mia!’ broadway review — behind, it says, and step into a faraway paradise where falling hard and fast in love like a wide-eyed teenager always works out in the end, singing into a hairbrush with friends cures all of life’s troubles, and backup singers will harmonize with your innermost thoughts whether you like it or not. However, That’s the allure of Oh mama!marketed as “the ultimate feel-good show,” and it still is nearly 25 years after the musical premiered. In addition, Cynicism has no place on this fantasy Greek island.

Luckily. Similarly, the first Broadway revival doesn’t entirely coast on nostalgia for ABBA’s absurdly earwormy discography (you will have at least one song still stuck in your head the next day) and the 2008 film. Furthermore, In fact. In addition, the talented actresses in Meryl Streep’s, Christine Baranski’s, and Julie Walters’s screen roles sail away with this Broadway production so entirely, you won’t be ‘mamma mia!’ broadway review — wanting for the screen stars (iconic as their performances are). Therefore, Director Phyllida Lloyd’s staging. Moreover, featuring a compact set by Mark Thompson, often feels shrunken in this sprawling venue, but the “Dynamos” — Donna, Tanya, and Rosie, the third member of their decades-old friend group-slash-girl band — amply fill the space with megawatt performances that radiate joyful abandon.

Christine Sherrill (Donna), Jalynn Steele (Tanya), and Carly Sakolove (Rosie) are the real-life dynamos in those roles. However, Sherrill is a natural showwoman with a deep well of emotion. However, she’d easily cast a spell over Madison Square Garden, never mind the Winter Garden, with “Super Trouper” and “The Winner Takes It All.” Steele. in Thompson’s most arresting costumes — think an orange-feathered hat, sleek turquoise bodysuit, and orange zebra-print skirt — commands attention and authority, effortlessly turning drooling young men into playthings during “Does Your Mother Know?” And the scene-chewing ‘mamma mia!’ broadway review — Sakolove is an impeccable physical comedienne who earns hearty laughs during “Take a Chance on Me.” Before any of these solo showcases. when the three women share the stage in Act 1 for “Chiquitita” followed by “Dancing Queen,” it’s the high point of the show as they gallivant around Donna’s bedroom, ultimately collapsing in a laughing heap.

In a time when it seems like Broadway shows open. close faster than you can say “here we go again,” it’s reassuring, in a way, to see Oh mama! return. Like many jukebox musicals that came after it. the story’s admittedly thin and rushed through in service of stuffing in as many tunes as possible, and I can’t help but wonder whether it’d have lasted 14 months if it debuted today, let alone the 14 years sustained by its first run — which itself defied the odds by opening a month after 9/11.

‘mamma mia!’ broadway review —

But the fact that it’s become such a beloved property anyway. spawning two (possibly three) movies and endless themed karaoke parties, feels like hope that art that’s imperfect yet earnest — and original — can thrive even when times are tough. Perhaps especially then. when one of the only surefire balms is to dance and jive and have the time of your life.

'mamma mia!' broadway review — – 'mamma mia!' broadway review —

Oh mama! summary – 'mamma mia!' broadway review —

Twenty-year-old Sophie (Amy Weaver) has never known her father. but she wants him to give her away at her upcoming wedding — a matter complicated by the fact that he could be one of three men: banker Harry Bright (Rob Marnell), writer Bill Austin (Jim Newman), or architect Sam Carmichael (Victor Wallace). So she tracks them all down without telling her mom. Donna, and invites them to the ceremony on the remote Greek island ‘mamma mia!’ broadway review — the mom and daughter call home. Madcap mayhem. unexpected reunions, and rekindled romances ensue when all three “dads” show up and past secrets unravel, all to a score of over 20 ABBA songs like “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Super Trouper,” and “Honey, Honey.”

The original NYC run of Oh mama! lasted from 2001 to 2015, making it the ninth-longest-running production in Broadway history. This is the musical’s first revival. returning to its original venue and retaining the entire original creative team under director Phyllida Lloyd. The cast hails from the current national tour, with 25 of the actors making their Broadway debuts.

What to expect at Oh mama!

Only the final number of the show — a three-song medley performed after the curtain call — explicitly encourages audiences to get up. sing, and dance. But that doesn’t stop eager theatregoers from grooving in their seats the entire time. At my ‘mamma mia!’ broadway review — performance. people clapped along with “Chiquitita” (somewhat surprisingly, as it’s a slower jam), the late-stage showstopper “Take a Chance on Me” (less surprisingly), and the entr’acte that kicks off Act 2 (and starts with a startlingly loud drum crash, so brace yourself).

If you only know Oh mama! from the films, the musical sticks to the story of the first film but includes songs from both. Tunes like “One of Us”. “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” for example, may not have made the cut for the Oh mama! movie (they later appeared in the sequel), but they’re in the stage show.

What audiences are saying about Oh mama!

As of writing, Oh mama! has a 94% audience approval rating on Show-Score, aggregated from nine reviews. New and veteran theatregoers alike are praising the show’s timeless feel-good spirit and the talent of the cast.

• “This ‘mamma mia!’ broadway review — musical is pure joy with all the best hits from ABBA. The story is cute and lovely with characters you want to root for.” – Show-Score user mewantbroadway
• “Mamma Mia delivers infectious joy as the perfect antidote to such troubling times.” – Show-Score user Rebekah S
• Having only ever seen the movie I was pleasantly surprised how much i enjoyed. the show […] I was little disappointed with a couple of the songs that I would have expected to be a showstopping. moment such as Mamma Mia. Overall very entertained.” – Show-Score user Jeff 8243
• “[A] cast full of incredible Broadway debuts and just 2.5 hours of pure FUN and joy.” – Mezzanine user Jules
• “[Five stars]…really hits the spot after a bottomless brunch.” – Mezzanine user Rachel Nevett

Read more audience reviews of Oh mama! on Show-Score.

Who should see Oh mama!

• Oh mama! is a great ‘mamma mia!’ broadway review — choice for a first-time or infrequent Broadway-goer. It features recognizable music, high-energy performances, and a sweet story people may know from the film.
• The musical is also perfect for bachelorette parties: It pairs well with mimosas. margaritas, and the party starts right in the theatre when you get to sing and dance along at the end. Not to mention that a bachelorette party is staged in Act 1!
• If you’ve spent your summer absorbed in rom-coms and beach reads, Oh mama! is the theatrical equivalent of those bubbly book and film genres.
• Fans of the musical Chessalso with a score by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, should see Oh mama! to experience wildly different music from the songwriters. Chess is getting its first Broadway revival in October, so you could even plan a double feature.

Learn more about Oh mama! on Broadway

The ABBA-scored musical is escapist, feather-light ‘mamma mia!’ broadway review — entertainment that still delivers on its 20-plus-year promise of pure fun. How can I resist ya, Oh mama!?

Learn more and get Oh mama! tickets on New York Theatre Guide. Oh mama! is at the Winter Garden Theatre through February 1, 2026.

Photo credit: Mamma Mia! on Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)