It's quite possibly the most popular musical on the planet. The songs of ABBA gloriously transposed to a romantic plot on a Greek Island. When the musical appeared in London in the spring of 1999 few could have predicted the global phenomenon it would become, spawning a Hollywood movie and a sequel, not to mention a dining experience inspired by the show.
Over the years cast recordings of Mamma Mia! have been plentiful, and as usual I am not including the cheap cash-in versions, just concentrating on the official albums released to accompany productions around the world. Many of these recordings are still available via the DISCOGS website where they can be purchased by international sellers.
ORIGINAL LONDON CAST RECORDING 1999
Running time: 73 minutes / Bonus: 80 minutes Tracks: 24 / Bonus: 27 Language: English
The world premiere cast recording for Mamma Mia! is as you would expect a joyous affair with the original Dynamos: Siobhan McCarthy (Donna), Jenny Galloway (Rosie) and Louise Plowright (Tanya) leading the fray. McCarthy was celebrating her third leading role at the Prince Edward Theatre having been part of the original casts of Evita and Chess at the venue. Here she gives her distinctive vocals to the ABBA classics, coupled with a band who are convincingly re-creating the 1970s ABBA soundscape. Although the singing vocals are first rate, the recording strangely feels as if it might have been recorded in a box, there is a flatness to excerpts of dialogue and the mix doesn't feel quite right in places. But having said that Lisa Stokke is a fine Sophie and Siobhan finds the emotional heart of "The Winner Takes It All" easily. For the fifth anniversary of the show, original cast members were invited back into the studio to lay down their vocals to a live backing for the three encore numbers: "Mamma Mia / Dancing Queen / Waterloo", providing bonus tracks to the original album on re-release. 8/10
HAMBURG (GERMANY) CAST RECORDING 2004
Running time: 80 minutes / Bonus: 78 minutes Tracks: 24 / Bonus: 26 Language: German
A full five years after the original cast, comes this recording from Hamburg. Recorded live in the theatre, it better represents the energy and buzz of the show than the studio setting of the English recording, even starting with the comedy announcement at the beginning of the evening prior to the Overture. The sound is crisp and clear and this recording includes the lovely instrumental section in "Slipping Through My Fingers" which is usually omitted. Caroline Fortenbacher as Donna has a fine voice, hitting the emotional highs easily and is at her best when unleashed on "The Winner Takes It All". In 2006 this recording was re-released with two bonus finale tracks: "Mamma Mia" and "Waterloo" however several tracks were trimmed to accomodate the extra songs. 9/10
N.B. Edited versions on bonus tracks CD, running times of original and trimmed versions. "Overture/ Prologue" 3.41 / 2.58 "Lay All Your Love On Me" 3.20 / 3.06 "Entr'acte" 2.16 / 1.41 "Knowing Me, Knowing You" 3.45 / 2.55 "Slipping Through My Fingers" 5.24 / 3.36 "I Have A Dream" 3.17 / 3.01
NETHERLANDS CAST RECORDING 2004
Running time: 80 minutes Tracks: 24 Language: Dutch
Another live album, recorded in the city of Utrecht, again this is a good recording incorporating all the major musical passages of the show with small snatches of dialogue for good measure. It doesn't quite have the pizzaz of the German recording, but comes pretty close. 8/10
SPANISH CAST RECORDING 2005
Running time: 79 minutes Tracks: 24 Language: Spanish
We are back in the studio again with the Madrid cast for this version. Again a sharp sound, which captures the energy of the piece. Some rather nice and bold linking dialogue on this one, for those with ABBA's Spanish language album Gracias Por La Musica, get ready to sing along: "Dame! Dame! Dame" I was rather taken with "Our Last Summer" ("Un verano") on this one performed by Nando González and Nina 8/10
SWEDISH CAST RECORDING 2005
Running time: 78 minutes Tracks: 25 Language: Swedish
The Dynamos are truly on home turf with the opening of the show in ABBA's native Stockholm. This recording features the first outing for the extended Overture at the opening of the show. For some reason though it omits "Gimme Gimme Gimme" from its track list, but does feature the encore of "Waterloo". As you might expect for a recording in ABBA's homeland, this is a top class sound and mix (possibly under the personal scrutiny of Benny and Bjorn). Again we get the instrumental in "Slipping Through My Fingers". Imagine the cast having to perform these songs before all four members of ABBA on the opening night. No pressure! 9/10
KOREAN CAST RECORDING 2007
Running time: 80 minutes Tracks: 24 Language: Korean
We are in non-European territory now, with the first Asian production. It's a live recording again, back to the shorter Overture though. Its a vanilla track list, no encores. Korean is not a soft language but the cast work hard to get the emotion of the material through. 8/10
MAMMA MIA THE MOVIE
Running time: 70 minutes Tracks: 17 Language: English
It had to happen and when it did, it was in a style more spectacular than we could have hoped. Practically the perfect screen musical, the classiness of the stage production was replicated and then some with an all star cast at the top of their game. Of course some songs were dropped from the stage show and "When All Is Said And Done" (surely the hit single that never was) added to the track list. A hidden track at the end of the album "Thank You For The Music" by Amanda Seyfried echoes the 'Doris Day Version' recorded by Agnetha during ABBA's recording heyday. "The Name Of The Game" gets an outing even though it was cut from the final edit, maybe at a late stage? It is a pity that some of the incidental music and even "Waterloo" were not added here, as there is a sense that this could have been an even greater album. But as it is, the joy of the movie is found in these recordings 9/10
PARIS CAST RECORDING 2011
Running time: 80 minutes Tracks: 27 Language: French
Once more we are live, this time in Paris, for the French premiere of the show. Unlike some of the other live recordings you can actually feel the excitement in the audience as they lap up their favourite ABBA tunes. Their enjoyment is palpable. By this time the first movie had been released, so audiences were now familiar with the story set up and it almost becomes a spiritual experience for the ABBA faithful. Track by track the Paris cast knock it out of the park, and how can such a well received performance end, naturally with the three encore numbers. How though do you put over "Waterloo", a song about the defeat of the French by the British in Paris? By performing "Waterloo" in English of course. Genius. 10/10
CHINESE CAST RECORDING 2013
Running time: 76 minutes Tracks: 25 Language: Chinese
An Oriental version, this time in Chinese although I don't know if its Mandarin, Cantonese or any of the many dialects spoken in the People's Republic Of China. As with many of these Mamma Mia! recordings this is again recorded live in performance and it is a lovely, sharp recording of the show. We get one enore track too, "Waterloo" in English. 8/10
JAPANESE CAST RECORDING 2014
Running time: 79 minutes Tracks: 27 Language: Japanese
And from China we head to Japan, although again a competent live recording, and the full show with the three encores songs intact (again "Waterloo" reverts to English). Its personal preference of course but for me this version lacks a bit of welly. The voices are a bit shouty for my liking, although that could be to do with the technique of the language. The recording also doesn't seem to be as technically as sharp as the Chinese version a year earlier, lacking a bit of substance. 7/10
WARSAW CAST RECORDING 2015
Running time: 80 minutes Tracks: 24 Language: Polish
A non-replica production from Poland, and hurrah, we once again have the extended Overture. Its a studio recording this time and we have the full show and a "Waterloo" encore in local language. The studio sound is polished and it all sounds great, apparently more than one actor plays each role in this recording although I can't say I noticed particularly. 8/10
CZECH BRNO CAST RECORDING 2019
Running time: 78 minutes Tracks: 24 Language: Czech
Having said that I am sticking to the official cast recordings, this fits into that catagory just about. It is a complete live recording of the show songs in the Czech Republic but issued as a 'promotional CD' available only at the theatre, so a crafty way of issuing a cast recording basically. The difference with this production is that the standard theatre band is augmented by a full orchestra. It certainly lends the score a different dimension. The recording zips along and the cast are clearly having a lot of fun. No encore songs this time, which is a pitty as I'd like to have heard the full orchestra have a bash at "Waterloo" A rather unique addition to the Mamma Mia! recordings canon. 8/10
And that to date is it my friends. The world's greatest jukebox musical as heard around the globe. There seems to be no stopping Mamma Mia! or indeed the ABBA related events. And whilst ABBA Voyage might celebrate the group, the musical is the showcase the songs themselves deserve. The show has proved unstoppable and currently sits as the fourth largest grossing theatre musical ever. Lets face it, when you are feeling low and need a lift what are you going to reach for? Phantom of the Opera? I don't think so!
Rob Henderson-Cope
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