Musical mamma mia first act sd. Music "Mamma Mia! About the film's production

The musical "Mamma Mia!"

80s of the last century. The Swedish group ABBA is at the peak of its popularity. The band's songs are a real musical breakthrough. Incredibly honest and sincere - they had a special sound. The theatricality of the poems allowed us to create a real performance. The musical “Mamma Mia” became one of the cult performances that changed the opinion of POP culture. On this page you can read interesting facts, history of creation, summary and popular performances of the musical play.

Summary

A tavern located on a Greek island is preparing for a wonderful event - the wedding of Sophie Sheridan and Skye. The girl believes that the ceremony must take place according to tradition. In her dreams, a picture is drawn of her walking in a snow-white dress. Her father walks her down the aisle. The only thing is that the young girl does not know who her real dad is. Donna, her mother, raised her daughter on her own, without anyone's help. She never told stories about meeting the girl's dad. It is only known that she did not tell him about the birth of the child.

Sophie continues to try to find her father. She comes across the diary that Donna kept a year before her birth. It turns out that she was dating three men at the same time. As a result, the young girl sends these people a wedding invitation without telling her mother anything about her actions.

A few days before the celebration, the three of Donna's exes come to the island until they realize what a surprise awaits them. Sophie talks to everyone for a long time, trying to find out the truth. But she doesn't succeed. Meanwhile, Donna suspected something was wrong. When she sings a song with her friends at a bachelorette party, she makes eye contact with each of the three possible fathers. Donna is confused.

The day of the ceremony arrived. Sophie is led down the aisle by her mother. What happens next is something no one expected. Donna admits that she doesn't know who her daughter's father is. Sophie thanks everyone present and apologizes, as she does not want to get married now. She invites Sky to travel the world before taking such a crucial step. The groom is not upset and agrees to the proposal. Donna was proposed to by one of her exes and she said yes. It's all over. Happy ending!

Photo:

Interesting Facts

• Soloist Anni-Frid Lyngstad financed the production of the famous show.

• In 2008, a film adaptation took place in Stockholm, which was also attended by the legendary group. It should be noted that all the actors sang independently. The only thing in the film was that there were fewer songs than in the musical.
• The first version of the title was called “Summer Night in the City.”
• Kramer was inspired to create the production by the musical " Cats "Andrew Lloyd Weber, with whom she collaborated for several years.
• There is a lesser-known film adaptation that starred members of the production.
• The initial plots were a dramatic love story, as well as an autobiography of the group. But they were immediately rejected by the members of the Swedish team.
• A slower version of the song "Dancing Queen" is used as the wedding march.
• The premiere date was not chosen by chance. After all, it was on April 6, 25 years ago, that the group managed to take first place at the Eurovision Song Contest.
• In fact, the island on which the heroes live is fictitious.
• Filming took place in London and Greece.
• On Broadway, the show closed in 2015 after a 14-year run. This is one of the longest spectacles in terms of production time.

• The song “Summer Night City” was specially invented as a leitmotif connecting the scenes. It should have sounded immediately after the Introduction. But it was decided not to include this number in the program. However, part of the work can be heard before the vocal number “Victory goes to the one who is right” and as a whole in Donna’s part.
• Mamma Mia has grossed nearly $2 billion worldwide since its debut in 1999.
• The name of the musical came from the song that made the group famous.
• The show could only develop thanks to Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson, who are the writers of the group's hits.
• The production set a record for attendance; over the entire duration of the show, more than 60 million viewers saw it.
• In the film, the sound was recorded directly on the set, which is rare for cinema. After all, the sound is usually recorded later in a studio environment.

History of creation

The idea to create a similar musical performance based on the popular music of ABBA came from a young English woman, Judy Cramer. In the early 70s, she worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

During the creation of the play "Chess", in which the music was composed by musicians from the group ABBA, namely Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. There they met and became friends. After several years of dating, Judy became actively interested in the group's work. She decided that their songs definitely needed to be cemented in the culture through the creation of a musical.

You need to come up with an interesting plot and choose musical numbers. With such an idea, she turned to Bjorn, to which he replied that if the idea and script were truly interesting, then he would participate in the process.

Fortunately, the poems and music of the songs had a theatrical basis and clear dramaturgy. Judy found more and more new projects, but they were rejected. Gradually, the group members cooled down to their own creativity, and the creation of such a performance seemed pointless to them. Until an album with Golden hits was released, which instantly sold millions of copies. This flattered the team, and they decided to start the work. She turned to the best television scriptwriter and playwright of our time, Katherine Johnson. The women quickly found a common language. As a result, she soon proposed the very option that became known to the whole world.

By 1998, the final name was thought up. The selection of actors and soloists has begun. The requirements were high: an excellent pop voice, good choreographic skills and acting talent.

For the premiere, an excellent choreographer was found, whose name was Phyllida Lloyd. She did not immediately agree to choreograph movements for the musical, since she was very dubious about this type of art. Its main activities were operas and dramas. But after talking with Judy, she finally decided to get directly involved.

Bjorn took a big role in the creation. He not only corrected the texts, but also, together with Martin Cociu, created completely new arrangements of hits.

The Prince of Wales Theater was chosen as the premiere location. The stage was ideal for solving all the technical problems associated with changing scenery, lighting and musical equipment. Moreover, after the cold reception of the play “Chess”, it was decided to first test “Mamma Mia” on a smaller stage, and only then launch it on Broadway.

It was decided to stage the performance in blue and white tones to emphasize the Greek atmosphere. The script was significantly changed for the premiere date.

On the day of the premiere there was a full house and everything went at the highest level. ABBA gained fame and recognition.

The musical "Mamma Mia!" watched by more than 30 million people in 170 cities around the world. The story of the bride, her mother and three possible fathers, sung by the Swedish group ABBA, has been translated into eight languages.

A picturesque Greek island, the charm of eternal holiday and love, a magnificent cast, catchy songs that you want to hum again and again - September 25 “Mamma Mia!” comes out on the big screen.

Starring in the film: Meryl Streep (“The Devil Wears Prada,” “The Hours”), Pierce Brosnan (“The Thomas Crown Affair,” “Die Another Day”), Colin Firth (“Love Actually,” “Bridget Jones’s Diary”) "), Stellan Skarsgård ("Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", "The Exorcist: The Beginning"), Julia Walters ("Jane Austen", "Harry Potter"), Dominic Cooper ("The History Boys", "Hit the Ten" "), Amanda Seefried ("Mean Girls", "Big Love") and Christine Baranski ("Welcome to Mooseport", "Bonneville").

Working on the film “Mamma Mia!” Directed by producer Judy Craymer, writer Katherine Johnson and director Phyllida Lloyd. Previously, they were involved in a theatrical production of the same name. They are also joined by producer Gary Goetzman (Charlie Wilson's War, The Polar Express, My Big Fat Greek Wedding).

The executive producers were ABBA members Benny Andersson (music) and Björn Ulvaeus (lyrics), as well as Rita Wilson (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Life in Ruins), Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson's War, Brothers at Arms") and Mark Huffam ("The Hours", "Johnny the Englishman").

FOREWORD BY JUDY CRIMER

I recently re-watched the wonderful Broadway musical Mamma Mia! The audience, like many years ago, gave the actors a standing ovation. I was immediately reminded of the words from a New York Post article published after the premiere in 2001 - “may happiness surround you.”

In the story, Sophie tries to find her father shortly before her wedding. When three men appear on the doorstep at once, her life changes, and we change along with it. Once you look at the screen at least once, it’s impossible to look away. You are truly surrounded by joy.

SUMMARY OF THE FILM AND MUSICAL NUMBERS

The action takes place on the romantic Greek island of Kalokairi, at the Villa Donna hotel, which is owned by Donna (Meryl Streep), her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seefried) and Sophie's fiancé Skye (Dominic Cooper).

On the eve of the wedding, Sophie sends invitations on behalf of her mother to three men (the song “I Have a Dream”), each of whom could be her father. Delighted "dads" rush to their former lover.

At this time, Donna is absorbed in pre-wedding troubles. The bridesmaids arrive, and Sophie shares a secret with them: she found her mother's diary and learned about her three lovers (composition “Honey, honey”): businessman Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), adventurer Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgård) and banker Harry Bright (Colin Firth).

Sam, Bill and Harry, who previously did not know each other, meet by chance on the pier. Sam and Harry miss the ferry to the island, and Bill offers to take them on his yacht to reconnect with the woman who broke their hearts twenty years ago.

Meanwhile, on Kalokairi, Donna reunites with old friends and former members of Donna and the Dynamos: smart Rosie (Julia Walters) and rich heartthrob Tanya (Christine Baranski).

Sophie introduces Tanya and Rosie to her fiancé Sky and tells them about the idea of ​​making a website for the island to attract tourists. Donna tells her friends about expenses (the song “Money, Money, Money”) and literally flutters over the villa. However, the cracked asphalt in the yard brings her down to earth.

Sophie meets the fathers and sheepishly explains to them that she sent the invitations, not her mother. She asks them not to show up before the wedding in order to surprise Donna - to give her a meeting with old friends whom she remembers so often.

They hear Donna tinkering in the pantry, getting ready to patch up the hole, and they swear to Sophie that they will not reveal her secret. Sophie climbs out the window. A moment later, Donna peeks into the room.

Finding herself face to face with three former lovers whom she could not forget (the composition "Mamma Mia"), she is shocked, and the men sheepishly apologize for their unexpected appearance. Donna is solid as a rock - she won't let them stay. She reveals to Tanya and Rosie (composition “Chiquitita”) a secret that she kept from everyone - she is not sure who her daughter’s father really is. Tanya and Rosie invite Donna to cheer up and sing a song from their youth. Members of the group “Donna and the Dynamo” remember their glory days and call on the women of the island for freedom (“Dancing Queen”).

Sophie discovers three men aboard Bill's yacht. Together they go around the island (the song “Our Last Summer”) and tell the girl stories about Donna, young and carefree. Upon her return, Sophie finds the strength to tell Sky everything. She's upset. Skye and Sophie sing a passionate song to each other (the song “Lay All Your Love on Me”), but Skye’s friends try to take him away to the bachelor party and interfere with the lovers.

At the bachelorette party, Sophie, Donna, Tanya and Rosie again become members of the group “Donna and Dynamo” (composition “Super Trouper”). Sophie is delighted to see her mother as a rock star, but at that moment Sam, Bill and Harry appear, making the girl nervous. She decides to speak privately with each of them.

The bride takes advantage of the confusion that arose during the dance (the song “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”) and talks to Sam about his love for Donna. She then questions Harry about whether he ever wanted children. And finally, Bill tells her that the middle-aged woman who gave Donna the money to buy the villa was his great-aunt Sofia. Sophie realizes that she was named after this woman. Bill is her father!

Sophie returns to the party. However, her happiness is short-lived - Sam and Harry confess paternity and are ready to lead her to the altar (composition “Voulez-vous”). Shocked, Sophie cannot tell them the truth, and, discouraged by the consequences of her action, faints right on the dance floor.

In the morning, Rosie and Tanya reassure a desperate Donna that they will take care of the men. Donna argues with Sophie in the courtyard, mistakenly believing that Sophie wants to call off the wedding. Sophie angrily replies that the only thing she wants is to avoid her mother's mistakes and runs away. An upset Donna runs into Sam, who is very concerned about Sophie getting married so young. Both of them understand that they still have some feelings for each other (composition “SOS”).

On the yacht, Harry and Bill discuss upcoming events, but are interrupted by Rosie, who is shocked that Bill is preparing breakfast himself! Meanwhile, on the sandy beach, Tanya and young Pepper continue to flirt with each other ("Does Your Mother Know").

Sophie feels that her plans are falling apart and the wedding is just around the corner. She turns to Sky, but he is angry with her for deceiving her, so Sophie has to put up with her mother.

Donna helps her daughter put on her wedding dress. A mother reminisces about her daughter's childhood and how quickly she grew up ("Slipping Through My Fingers"). And then Sophie decides that the only parent she knows should walk her down the aisle. The hotel staff and bridesmaids take Sophie and Donna to church while Sam waits. He begs Donna to talk to him. She cuts him off by talking about the pain she felt during their breakup ("The Winner Takes It All").

After the ceremony begins, Donna realizes that she can no longer keep her mouth shut. She admits to Sophie that her father is here... but it could be Sam, Bill or Harry. Sophie, in turn, admits that it was she who invited them. The men assure that they will be happy to share the burden of fathering such a beautiful girl among three. The surprises continue - Sophie tells Sky that they should postpone the wedding and go traveling. At this moment, Sam asks Donna to become his wife.

She agrees (song “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do”)!

During the wedding feast, Sam sings a song for Donna, whom he has loved for 21 years (the song "When All is Said and Done"), causing Rosie to pay attention to Bill (the song "Take a Chance on Me"). All the couples confess their love to each other, and at that moment a fountain of the goddess of love Aphrodite emerges from a crack in the villa's courtyard.

At the end of the story, Sophie and Sky say goodbye to the island and go in search of a new life full of hopes and desires (the song “I Have a Dream”).

BEFORE THE PRODUCTION OF THE FILM

I have a dream:

Development of "Mamma Mia!"

The story of "Mamma Mia!" began in the eighties, when producer Judy Craymer worked with Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus on their first post-ABBA project, Chess. The two singers simply shocked her. "These are the people who wrote 'Dancing Queen,' one of the best pop songs of all time," explains Craymer. Inspired by the theatricality of their songs, she wanted to make a musical based on them, in a completely unexpected format.

She was inspired by the song “The Winner Takes It All” (sung by Meryl Streep in the film). The original song was called "The Story of My Life" and was one of the band's most striking songs (it entered the top ten charts in the United States).

Despite assurances that the musical would not be a tribute to the band or its history, Andersson and Ulvaeus were initially skeptical of the idea. So Kreimer began persuading them to contribute their songs to the project. In 1995, they finally agreed. The producer had to provide them with a script that was strong enough for the songs to work organically within it. In 1997, Craymer met playwright Katherine Johnson, whom she considered talented and sensitive enough for the job.

Kreimer asked her to consider the fact that ABBA songs fall into two distinct categories - more youthful, playful and innocent, such as "Honey, Honey" and "Dancing Queen", and more mature, philosophical and emotional, such as "The Winner Takes It All" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You". Kreimer was convinced that these songs contained a story that could be of interest to many generations.

In addition, Craymer felt that the theme of the film should be a wedding - Ulvaeus's poems themselves suggested this. “I told Katherine that she could forget about the songs. This is just a source, the plot should be strong and without any songs. And that’s exactly what she managed to achieve.”

Johnson began by reading all of ABBA's lyrics, building the skeleton of a story, and choosing only songs that would logically complement the story. However, she felt that she needed to consider the tempo of the songs so that it would correlate with the tempo of the action. Not an easy task.

The result is a warm and inspiring story about two generations of women, first and second loves, not to mention friendship and self-discovery. Johnson and Kreimer felt the story had a universal resonance that would appeal to people of all genders, ages and nationalities - just like ABBA's music.

After receiving the script, Craymer began searching for a director. She offered this work to the famous theater and opera director Phyllida Lloyd. “It was a musical written by Benny and Björn – although they didn’t know it,” says the director.

Björn Ulvaeus collaborated extensively with Lloyd, Kraimer and Johnson. The production team included choreographer Anthony Van Laast, production designers Mark Thompson (stage and costumes), Howard Garrison (lighting), Martin Koch (musical consultant and orchestrator) and Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken (sound designers). Production of the musical continued in London for over a year.

“Everything changed along the way, we removed some songs and replaced them with new ones,” recalls Ulvaeus. – Katherine knew all our songs from the catalog by heart. The main rule was that we shouldn't change them, and it makes me wonder how we managed to weave them into the story."

Benny Andersson became involved in the project only during the first rehearsal and was shocked by how great it all turned out. “It seems to me that the main advantage of this musical is that what we see exceeds even our wildest expectations,” he says. – Our songs are very good, but the plot of the musical is also great. The way our old poems fit into the plot is simply amazing. I'm a big fan of Katherine Johnson."

The show premiered on April 6, 1999 at the Prince Edward Theater in London. This was a good sign, because on April 6, 1976, ABBA won Eurovision. The performance was a huge success. The American premiere took place in November 2000 at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco. The musical opened on Broadway in October 2001, grossing $27 million in advance ticket sales (one of the theater industry's records). The show received five Emmy nominations in 2002. In February 2003, the premiere took place in Las Vegas. The thousandth performance was held there in June 2005.

The performance went down in theater history, becoming an international phenomenon in the entertainment industry. There were a total of 20 productions of Mamma Mia! Worldwide. There are currently nine productions worldwide, grossing over eight million dollars a week. The musical was watched by 30 million viewers. 17,000 people attend every evening. In total, the performance grossed more than $2 billion. The play reached many cities faster than any other musical in history. Since its London premiere, it has been released in 170 major cities around the world.

Here's how Kreimer explains this phenomenon: “Regardless of the composition and age of the audience, they somehow identify themselves with the characters of the musical. They go through this experience with them. These songs have a magical quality."

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION OF THE FILM

Money money money:

Creating a creative team

Shortly after the musical's London premiere, several companies expressed interest in turning the musical into a film. Playtone, the company of Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, has partnered with Judy Craymer's Littlestar to produce the film. “I remember that when I watched the play, I found myself standing and singing out loud already at the twelfth minute,” recalls Tom Hanks.

However, Kreimer was in no hurry to turn the stage musical into a screen one. "Mamma Mia!" “It was asking to be on screen,” she says, “but first I had to get the show to the point where it would be possible to make that transition.” She felt that the show had not yet run its course on stage and the team needed to focus on premiering it in different countries.

In 2003, after the musical was released theatrically in Europe, America, Australia and Asia, Craymer felt that the moment had finally come for a film adaptation. She contacted Gary Goetzman and secured Playtone's agreement to produce the film.

“The most important thing for us as filmmakers was to capture the tone, energy and spirit of the musical,” says producer Goetzman. “We knew if we did this we would have an amazing movie.” For Goetzmann and Kraimer, this meant, above all, preserving the original formula. “Our goal was simply to bring their vision to the big screen,” he continues.

From the very beginning of the project, he believed that the film should enhance the sense of joy that the musical provides. “In film, you can get to know the characters and set a certain tone for the audience,” he muses. “The brilliant elements of a play that is loved by millions around the world can be enhanced.”

Lloyd and Johnson were ready to join the project. "Mamma Mia!" has always been a film,” says Lloyd. – The musical takes place on a picturesque Greek island. This story just begged to be shown on screen.”

Johnson was ready to turn her play into a film script. “It was an opportunity for me to explore the emotional core of the story even further,” she explains. – When I wrote for the stage, I simply called the dance number “dance number.” For the screen, I had to fully describe what happens during this dance number. So it was double work."

The challenges of turning a stage play into a musical romantic comedy influenced Johnson's work. For example, the film version of the musical allowed her to move the "Dancing Queen" sequence from the bedroom to the harbor. “We were able to escape from the confined space of the stage into the air,” sums up the screenwriter.

“We got the opportunity to show our characters arriving on the island,” adds Craymer. “The stage is very limiting, but in the film we were able to show the space and journey of the characters.”

The musical was filmed at Pinewood Studios in London and Greece. Lloyd even did pre-production with the actors of the stage musical. “I needed to work out the structure of the songs, to understand whether the stage choreography needed to be completely changed,” she says. “And besides that, I picked up the camera myself to understand when to move it and when not to.”

“I was adamant that the cinematography should be different for each song,” Lloyd continues. “It had to have a different effect on the audience, depending on the requirements of the plot. I wanted to go inside the scenes, because in the theater I was always on the outside. So I was watching the scene from Sophie's point of view."

For producer Craymer, this was an opportunity to expand the scope of the show, both visually and thematically, with the active help of ABBA members. “Benny and Björn's participation was very important for us,” says Kraimer. “They worked on the music, recorded it with the actors, and it was very cool.”

“It was a lot of fun, especially collaborating with such well-trained actors. An amazing experience,” says Andersson.

“We had a lot of fun. The actors did exactly what we needed. It was simply amazing,” echoes Ulvaeus.

Craymer and Goetzman agreed that the same people who directed the musical would work on the film. "There's a quintessential element of what we call the 'Mamma Mia!' factor," Kraimer says. “And we were able to agree among ourselves what exactly should be transferred from stage to screen.”

Cinematographer Harris Zambarloukos, production designer Maria Djurkovic, costume designer Ann Roth and makeup artist Tina Earnshaw also brought their passion and vision to the project. The combination of their efforts gave the film its signature look. “We chose people based on who we would want to be with us on holiday,” says Lloyd. “When you work so fast and under such stress, you need to have understanding people around.”

Look at me:

Film casting

After casting was completed, the filmmakers began choosing actors. Craymer has always said that the real stars of the play are the songs, but after she looked at the actors gathered for the reading, she took it back.

The incomparable Meryl Streep, an Academy Award winner known for her dramatic, varied roles in countless films and considered one of America's greatest actresses, was cast as Donna. "Mamma Mia!" is Streep's first film musical, although she has already sung in the films Postcards from the Edge and Companions.

“We always wanted Meryl Streep to play the main character,” says Craymer. “And it was very cool when she immediately agreed.” We knew that she had seen the show on Broadway several years ago, and she wrote a very nice letter to the cast, telling them that she was happy to be a part of "Mamma Mia!" And we kept this letter as schoolgirls.”

“We dreamed of Meryl agreeing to play Donna,” says director Lloyd. “We knew that she sang, we knew that she wanted to play in a musical. She combines all the qualities needed for this role. She is one of those unique actresses who can laugh and cry for the whole world. That's exactly what we needed for Mamma Mia! and we got it."

Streep actually saw the show in New York. “It was a real joy,” she says. – It contains immortal songs that seem to enter your body. When I had to learn them, I realized that I already knew them by heart. Amazing melodies."

Streep also liked the fact that Mamma Mia! was made by women. In addition, this role required serious physical training from her. She had to climb a building 12 meters high and sing the song “Mamma Mia!” while on the roof. In addition, she sang “Dancing Queen” while doing a whole series of tricks - sliding down the railing or jumping from the pier into the sea.

"They told me I had to climb up the goat shed and sing 'Mamma Mia,'" Streep laughs. – I asked myself – how tall should the building be? But it turned out that it was just a wall. I had to do a Spider-Man stunt and I got into shape pretty quickly. It was the first week and I thought, “Huh, I better train more often.”

Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård were chosen to play the three father candidates. “These three actors have incredible warmth and humor and an understanding of what Mamma Mia is all about!” and what it requires,” says Lloyd. “Each of these actors managed to show their path from complete uncertainty to freedom.”

Pierce Brosnan enthusiastically accepted the invitation to the role, but he was horrified by the thought that he would have to sing and dance. “I was just paralyzed with horror,” says Brosnan. “I’ve never been so nervous about work.” In the end, I just gave in to the process and had a lot of fun. It’s very cool to sing and express your emotions through songs.” He admits that his nerves helped him in the end: “Fear gives you the strength to do something important and significant. Months of worry helped me."

“In the movie Mamma Mia!” there is a special magic,” says Colin Firth, who was cast as Harry Bright. “She has the ability to reach everyone.” Firth admits that there is something about the musical that “encourages you to give up your ego, like people do at the end of the show. There is a special tenderness in these middle-aged men who find something more in their lives than they thought. The most enjoyable thing was working with the ensemble cast. We all enjoyed it beyond words."

“Phyllida has an amazing ability to notice moments that at first glance don’t seem important with a particular texture, or use an angle of view that can make a particular moment more interesting,” the actor says of the director. “It’s very economical and precise directing.”

The trio is completed by Stellan Skarsgård, who starred in Pirates of the Caribbean. He was attracted by another component of this film - dance. “I haven’t done this for thirty years,” the actor admits. “But I really enjoyed it and tried to enjoy it as much as possible.” The whole experience was liberating and joyful for me.”

Skarsgård found it interesting that the film featured men in supporting roles that are usually played by women in films starring men. “No one was interested in our psychology! – he laughs. “We are such chicks in this picture!”

Julia Walters, a famous British stage and film star, and Tony winner Christine Baranski, one of the most famous musical actresses who starred in the film Chicago, were invited to play the roles of members of the Donna and Dynamo group. They play the pragmatic Rosie and the many-married Tanya.

Walters accepted the role without any hesitation. “I really like the musical,” she says. “It has irony and a clever plot.” Walters has experience performing songs, so she was more afraid of having to dance. “I trampled the entire floor at home when I was training,” the actress laughs.

Here's what Baranski says about his interest in the film adaptation of the musical Mamma Mia!: “What I love most is this amazing story about relationships. For me, Meryl and Julia, the biggest challenge was conveying this old female friendship on screen. But it was easy for me to be with them - they are amazing women. The filmmakers were looking for actors who could convey the spirit of the musical."

Baranski has experience singing and dancing on stage and screen, but for her the task was not easy: “ABBA songs are supposed to be very easy to sing – perhaps because they are so catchy – but in reality they are much more difficult. They require a certain style. Benny and Björn are amazing musicians and have very complex harmonies and rhythms. And they know very clearly what they want.”

The filmmakers chose Amanda Seefried and Dominic Cooper to play the roles of Sophie and Skye. “Finding the right actress to play Sophie was a challenge,” says Craymer. “She had to be naughty and innocent at the same time, cheerful and able to sing well. Amanda fit the bill; she is our ideal Sophie."

Seefried is known to viewers as Karen in Mean Girls and Sarah Henrikson in HBO's Big Love. She already had experience of singing and dancing on screen. Sifrid herself says that being chosen for the role of Sophie is “every girl’s dream.”

The audition process was very intense. Many young actresses auditioned for the role of Sophie, but Sifrid amazed everyone with her vocals. “Amanda has a special warmth about her, she just radiates light and youth,” says Lloyd. “Besides that, she has a wonderful voice.” Benny and Björn even asked her to sing songs that were not featured in the film. From the very first notes of her song, we realized that this was our Sophie.”

During her audition, Sifrid saw a performance in Las Vegas and was shocked. “It was just fantastic,” she recalls. Like others, she admits that ABBA's songs are immortal. In addition, Seefried considered it a great honor to play opposite Streep: “She is simply incredible. She is very aware of how people react to her presence and did everything she could to make us feel comfortable. I learned a lot working with her."

Sophie's fiancé is played by the young British actor Dominic Cooper, who starred in films such as The History Boys and Hitting the Top Ten. The contact that arose between the two actors was palpable even during the auditions. “Dominic is simply charming,” says Kraimer. “He can sing, and girls love him.” He's perfect for the role of Sky."

“An amazing ensemble cast and an amazing project,” says Cooper. “The fun started during the auditions and didn’t end until the end of filming. Singing is just a blast. I admire singers because when you sing, it's very difficult to hide behind all that acting stuff. Singing unlocks your full potential.”

“The director was able to establish an amazing rapport with the actors,” Cooper continues. “Most of us needed to be led, because this was completely new territory.” It was difficult to find a director who knew his business better than her.”

There was a surprisingly positive atmosphere on the film set. “It was very important to me as a producer that everyone felt like they were part of the team,” Craymer concludes. “I believe in this vibration, in these positive feelings that come from the screen into the audience.”

Supporting roles include Philip Michael and Chris Jarvis (Skye's groomsmen Pepper and Eddie), Rachel McDwell and Ashley Lilly (Sophie's girlfriends Lisa and Ali), a Greek chorus and about forty men and women as deer and hens.

The cast and crew members were cast. It's time to begin principal photography in the studio and on a luxurious Greek island where anything can happen.

Give me all your love:

Music "Mamma Mia!"

Translating the story from stage to screen was a challenge, and not just because Andersson wanted each actor to do his own vocals. Music director Martin Lowe, who joined the team of Mamma Mia! in 1999, recalls: “I raised the bar quite high. Working on the play, I understood well what was required of singing actors. This is a high level of style and skill."

Lowe attended the actors' auditions. “I was brought in to cater Benny's music,” he says. “And I was not ready for any compromises.” During the casting process, Lowe worked in Stockholm with Andersson and members of ABBA to score the film. Actors from the Swedish show took part in the process - they recorded backing vocals for such numbers as “Voulez-Vous” and “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

After the actors were cast, Lowe began working with them. His job was to give them certain keys to perform and give them confidence. He used several options for recording songs - pre-recording so that the actors only moved their lips in the frame, as well as live recording right on the set.

Here's how executive producer Mark Huffam talks about the process: “The tradition of musicals is pre-recording and then mime work on set. We had amazing actors, so they had the opportunity to sing live. We gave them this opportunity. We usually recorded the big dance numbers in advance, but for the more personal songs we preferred recording live."

The actors agreed with this scheme. “It was a lot of fun recording the songs with Benny and Bjorn, and I preferred the pre-recording,” says Streep. “On set, I realized that my voice in the preliminary recording sounded completely different. So it was really cool to record live too, because the energy and the physicality of acting dictated the way I performed the song in a way that I couldn’t have imagined during the pre-recording.”

Firth agrees: “It’s very difficult to sing before you’ve worked out your character. The song is part of the story, so the performance should be part of the character. You either need to make the song match your acting, or vice versa.”

“Martin instilled a lot of confidence in me,” Brosnan says of the music director. – He came to California; we sat in my office all day and just sang songs. Over the next few months I just listened to them while driving the kids to school. When it was time to record, I walked into the studio and saw Benny and Bjorn and Phyllida and Judy... and I knew the time had come. They said that I sing very well. They liked what I did, it was very easy. And I wasn’t alone - there were Stellan and Colin nearby, who were also terrified.”

“I'm most proud of Dominic,” Lowe laughs of the young actor, who admits to panicking before meeting with the music director. “He tried so hard.” We worked through every song with him, line by line, and I tried to show him how a pop singer should sing."

Stellan Skarsgård also really enjoyed working with the ABBA people. “They are very calm - real Swedes,” he says of Ulvaeus and Andersson. “They were very supportive, so I sang quite confidently.”

Amanda Seefried's recordings also featured Lowe, Ulvaeus, Andersson and Lloyd. “It was real freedom, and there was delight and some kind of surrealism,” she says. “They didn’t guide me too much.” I was able to immediately achieve the tone and sound that they wanted, so they just gave me freedom.”

Lowe notes that the songs Syfried was expected to perform are quite complex, such as the complex passages in "I Have a Dream." “The line ‘I believe in angels’ falls on a pause, and its place in the text and in the melody is quite difficult,” he says. “Some actresses at auditions simply couldn’t grasp it. Thank God we found Amanda who just went ahead and did it. When she left the audition, the cameraman and sound engineer said, “This is Sophie.”

“Amanda is immediately sympathetic and protective,” says director Lloyd. “She’s very sweet, and that’s the most important thing about Sophie.”

It was quite a grueling process for all the actors. The filmmakers were ready to take their hats off to the actors. “ABBA music is quite complex,” says Rita Wilson. – The songs are quite difficult to perform, they are very melodic and have amazing harmonies. You never get tired of listening to them again and again. There is a certain magnificence about them. You can completely relax, feel young and stupid.”

Dancing Queen:

Film choreography

Choreographer of "Mamma Mia!" Anthony Van Laast recognized that translating a musical from stage to screen was a very difficult undertaking. “The challenge for me was to tie the choreography into the story and the characters so that it would feel improvised and spontaneous,” says Van Laast. “The choreography in the film is very structured and varied.”

In the early stages of the film's production, Van Laast spent a lot of time rehearsing with Lloyd and her troupe of dancers and trying to figure out what numbers would work for the film, how many dancers would be needed, where to place the cameras, etc. Van Laast retained some of the original movements, but many had to be changed. There are twice as many dancers in the film as there are on stage.

To carry out this transfer without any problems, Van Laast suggested using the dancers from the play in the film. This helped save time and teach the leading actors how to dance.

Along with his assistants Nicola Treherne and Tim Stanley, who have been with the show for many years, Van Laast spent several weeks of rehearsals before filming and conducted training and warm-ups every day during filming.

Stanley and Treherne were very helpful in the process of staging complex numbers. “Tim was on the floor supervising the dances,” notes Van Laast. – Nikola was an intermediary between the dancers and me, and I sat behind the monitors. If I realized something wasn't adding up, I immediately made adjustments with Nikol's help. This way we always got the perfect picture.”

Baranski had worked in musicals on stage and screen for years, but she, too, was nervous and took extra dance and movement lessons. “Everyone will be nervous when they have to sing and dance,” she says. – This genre requires a lot. You need to maintain a certain rhythm, raise your legs or move your arms in time.”

“When I found out I got the role, I immediately started working out, taking Pilates and jazz classes, stretching and strengthening my flexibility,” she continues. “In London I had to take ballet lessons.”

“I even managed to shame my twenty-year-old children,” Streep laughs. “They come home from dance parties exhausted.”

“I don't have a lot of dance numbers, but these are amazing dances,” Walters continues. “I could dance for months with these amazing partners.” I really enjoyed dancing with both Philip and Stellan.”

Van Laast says he really enjoyed turning the actors into dancers: “They bring something very real to the movements. When you work with dancers, it's just perfection. The actors make the dances lively and personal, tied to their characters. I learned a lot about how to bring out a character through dance."

Our last summer:

Filming "Mamma Mia!"

After several weeks of recording music and vocals, six weeks of costume selection, makeup and dance rehearsals, filming began in July 2007. They took place at Pinewood Studios in London. The set was designed by artist Maria Djurkovic, giving the filmmakers the opportunity to expand on the scope of the work that Craymer, Lloyd and Johnson achieved on stage.

Djurkovic relied on the script, not the stage musical. “On stage you mostly rely on your imagination,” she explains. “It was important to achieve a certain theatricality in the film, but I needed to create a world that was compelling and believable.”

It was quite difficult to build a small village on set, keeping in mind that it had to fit into the landscape of the location filming on the Greek island. “Every element had to radiate lightheartedness and joy,” says Djurkovic. – After all, this is a musical. Spiritualized, happy, cheerful and frivolous. But at the same time, the audience had to believe that all this was really happening.”

“Part of the translation from stage to screen was the design,” says producer Goetzman. “We needed to figure out how to translate stage design into screen design. Maria did a fantastic job and I think people will love her natural styling.”

Members of the film's crew visited Greece in search of a location to film Villa Donna. Both Lloyd and Djurkovic decided that it should take place in a renovated building. Djurkovic thought through every detail of the design.

After nine weeks of filming at Pinewood Studios, the crew moved to Greece. First there were five days of filming on the island of Skiathos. They then moved to Skopelos for two weeks, and then to the mainland, to Damouhari, for another five days. All these places were chosen after traveling to 21 Greek islands.

Local residents actively helped the filming process. It was necessary to transport a lot of equipment, adapt to the weather, work at sea, cope with clouds of insects, and station 210 film crew on small islands. “We had to change a lot of things along the way,” says Lloyd. “Constantly adapt to geographic and weather conditions.”

The director traveled extensively in Greece when she was seventeen years old. “When you shoot on islands, you have to be willing to change things along the way,” she says of the challenges of filming on location in these places. “We just fell in love with some of the islands.” However, in the process you discover that your favorite beach has been “eaten up” by the surf, and you have to come up with something else. That is, you need to be prepared for anything.”

Some of the most beautiful places became the backdrop for the action of "Mamma Mia!" For example, the old port on the island of Skiathos, where Sam, Bill and Harry first meet, and where Rosie and Tanya board the ferry. Skiathos is the smallest of the Sporades group of islands, located in the north-west of the Aegean Sea. This is the most well-kept of the islands of the archipelago. It has many beautiful sandy beaches where some scenes of the film were filmed. From the mountain on the eastern part of the island there is a stunning view of the bell tower of St. Nicholas. It is from there that Sophie sends wedding invitations to Sam, Bill and Harry.

The luxurious island of Skopelos, also part of the Sporades archipelago, became the location for principal photography in Greece. On Kastani Beach with its blue-green waters, Tanya sings "Does Your Mother Know", Sophie and Sky sing "Lay All Your Love on Me", and Donna and the three men say goodbye to Sophie and Sky with "I Have a Dream".

The mountains next to the rocky beach of Glisteri on the island of Skopelos became the location for Sophie's wedding. On a cliff on the peninsula, Sophie, Bill, Harry and Sam sing "Our Last Summer" and jump into the clear sea waters.

The magic of cinema helped to successfully fuse together scenes shot in the studio and on location. "Dancing Queen" starts in Donna's bedroom and then moves into the courtyard (it was filmed in a studio) and then outside of Villa Donna. The episode continues in the village - in the thickets of olive trees, in the harbor and on the pier. These scenes were filmed in romantic Damouhari on the east coast of Greece.

The wedding guests arrive at the top of a mountainous peninsula an hour's drive from the town of Skopelos, where Donna sings "The Winner Takes It All" to Sam. The church where Skye and Sophie are married was located on the top of a hundred-meter mountain above the sea, next to the monastery of St. John near the town of Glossa.

“In these places you want to walk and walk,” Goetsman sums up. “We all had a lot of fun and peace from the beautiful locations where we filmed.”

"Super Trooper":

Costume design

The filmmakers invited Academy Award-winning costume designer Ann Roth to join the production team. She was faced with the task of making the costumes not only beautiful, but also realistic. She had, of course, seen the musical on stage, but she was asked not just to use Mark Thompson's stage costumes as a starting point, but to give them more life.

The designer sent her sketches to Phyllida Lloyd, who really liked them. Much of the prep work was done in New York, and some of the costumes were made from fabrics she bought from the strangest places. “There is a suit in the film that I bought in the Dominican Republic. I like to feel like I can go to strange places and buy things there. I don’t order materials over the phone, I buy everything myself.”

Roth researched the origins of each character (from the appearance of their apartments to their earnings) and thought out their costumes down to the smallest detail. For example, she imagined how three potential fathers must feel when they received last-minute invitations to a wedding in Greece, and how they tossed things into their suitcases. “Realism is second nature to me,” Roth says. – I would say that their clothes are real. Old suitcases, backpacks, new or old suits and all that.”

According to Roth, Meryl Streep's character should not have attached much importance to her clothes. “I think that’s what happened,” she says. - Donna said to her friend from Athens: “My daughter is getting married next month, I need a dress and I don’t want to look like an old lady.” And then this friend came to her with two dresses, of which Donna chose one.”

At some points, the costumes look more luxurious, such as in the Donna and Dynamo performance when they sing "Super Trouper". Roth decided that the clothes for this occasion should be simply crazy. “These are stage costumes,” she explains. – I studied the costumes of bands from the seventies, including ABBA. You can’t wear such things when going to the store.”

“She's a true creative with a wild imagination,” Lloyd says of Roth's creative approach to her work. “She was able to understand my views on stage costumes - that they do not need to be sewn and put in boxes several months before filming, photographs of them taken, and so on. Roth was driven by inspiration, feeling that our heroes were just waiting to be donned in these costumes."

After fourteen weeks of filming, they returned to Pinewood Studios to film the final sequence, with the entire cast singing "Waterloo" and "Dancing Queen". So the shooting ended.

Streep reflects on why the story resonated so strongly for her, and what kind of reaction she expects from audiences: “This is a movie about the mistakes of the past—regrets, dreams, hopes, happiness—your life.”

“We all have a favorite song,” Brosnan says of the songs' popularity and timeless lyrics. – Each of us listened to the ABBA group; everyone was dancing to ABBA; everyone sang ABBA songs. These songs live in the hearts of each of us."

The last words about this project should be said by three women whose dreams crossed continents - producer Craymer, screenwriter Johnson and director Lloyd...

“We rebranded ABBA with unexpected results,” says Kraimer. “These are accessible, universal lyrics that each of us can identify with.”

“Even though the characters haven't changed, we got to know them better,” says screenwriter Johnson. – Songs and general appearance of “Mamma Mia!” seemed to become bigger. We really moved to this Greek island and lived the lives of these people."

“This story is like a fairy tale,” says the director. “It touches on something very important in the hearts of the audience - self-discovery, lost parents, forgotten children. It's an epic story."

Universal Pictures, in association with Relativity Media, presents the Playtone/Littlestar production Mamma Mia! Starring: Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan. The film also stars: Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julia Walters, Dominic Cooper, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski. Music and lyrics: Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, based on ABBA songs. Musical consultant: Becky Bentham. Musical Director: Martin Lowe. Choreographer: Anthony Van Laast. Costume designer: Ann Roth. Editing director: Leslie Walker. Production designer: Maria Djurkovic. Cinematographer: Haris Zambarloukos, BSC. Executive Producers: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks, Mark Huffam. Producers: Judy Craymer and Gary Goetzman. Screenplay: Katherine Johnson. Director: Phyllida Lloyd.

I’ve been dreaming of writing a review for the musical “Mama Mia!” for so long, but I still didn’t have the right mood, because the mood for me is the main factor, if it’s not there, then no matter how hard I try, nothing will work out. I’ll say right away and honestly that I watched the musical a long time ago. Long before the release, while watching the trailer, I firmly decided that I would go, and readily kept my promise. As it should be, I didn’t go to the film alone, but with a pre-prepared charge of a good mood, excellent friends and, as expected, “by law” with popcorn and I was not mistaken.

Well, let me move on to a small lyrical digression.

There are a number of mistakes in writing reviews (in particular, giving ratings), and one of them is “subjecting” films to a common standard, that is, each film has completely different tasks and you need to be able to “distinguish between them.” It is strictly unacceptable to compare different films in the same way. There are many different genres of films and each of them should leave a different impression on the viewer. For example: psychological films should carry a hidden meaning, the truth that a person “reaches” himself, and when going to this or that film, a person should realize what exactly to expect from it, and not put it under a general framework. The main task of “Mama Mia!” was to cheer me up at any cost, to make me feel the happiest in the world. And she coped with this task with complete success!

"Mama Mia!" first of all a musical, undoubtedly the main highlight and at the same time difficulty is singing live (the musical is entirely built on songs "Abba"). Not every actor has good vocal abilities, much less can perform Abba songs. As you know, the group’s texts are very primitive, we can say that almost everyone who is just starting to learn English will be able to understand the words, of course not all, but most of the words for sure. This is not the group's strong point; music has always been considered its strong point. The music is quite complex and not as easy to perform as it seems at first glance. But the actors coped with this task brilliantly, except But more on that later.

So, I think it's worth taking a quick look at the actors.

Looking at the poster, you can understand that the main role is played by the inimitable Meryl Streep. What can we say? She's just goddess or star, as you wish. She truly has a rare talent, her acting is so lively and emotional that you involuntarily begin to feel and experience with her, and her voice is a separate topic. Throughout the entire film, I never noticed her “faking it”; everything was on a professional level. I remember a case when some critic compared it to wine, the more it costs, the more beautiful it becomes, and I absolutely agree with him. We still need to look for people like her, and I bow my knees before her.

Amanda Seyfried. After this film, she became a discovery for me, I immediately noticed her, and as it turned out in the last films, she showed herself. She played her role perfectly. Well done.

Also pleased Colin Firth And Stellan Skarsgård, they played excellently, sang, as always, at their best, although they did not get such key roles. It's a pity.

Did not leave indifferent and Pierce Brosnan, especially his “intermittent” singing, I thought I could do without criticism, but it didn’t work out. I was tormented for a long time by the question, what the hell did he forget in the musical? Was he really tired of pretending to be Bond and he decided to do something funnier and lighter? Of course, the age is not the same anymore. I never recognized him as an actor, in my opinion, this is the most terrible Bond in history, but that’s not what the review is about. In general, if it weren’t for him with his fake acting, I probably would have “whipped” at such a word as a masterpiece. Although sometimes his failure to hit the notes was even amusing. And I liked the whole cast, everything was very professional and deserves applause. Bravo.

The plot is quite interesting, at first I wanted to find out the truth: who is really the only one? But with every minute I realized more and more that this is not so important. After all, performance and atmosphere come first, and the plot comes last.

Still, how good it is that there are musicals, otherwise all too often there are always abstruse films about the meaning of life and other “bullshit.” No, all of this is of course important, and even interesting (I have a very good attitude towards such pictures), but constantly thinking about only one thing is unbearable. Sometimes you just want to forget about everything, “let in” a sea of ​​optimism into your life and just enjoy the moments…

P.S. I still listen to songs from the musical on my player.

Description

There are 11 productions of the show: 8 stationary (Hamburg, Las Vegas, London, Madrid, New York, Osaka, Stockholm) and 2 traveling (US tour and international tour). [ ]

The Russian premiere of the musical took place on October 14, 2006 on the stage of the Moscow Palace of Youth (MDM). Went 8 times a week for two seasons. Over 20 months, more than 700 performances were performed, which were attended by more than 600,000 spectators. The closing date was scheduled for April 30, 2008, but due to requests from Mamma Mia viewers, the show was extended until May 25, 2008. The musical became the most successful in the history of Russian show business, setting a record for box office and popularity.

After 4.5 years, after three other musicals, the show of Mamma Mia at MDM was resumed on October 27, 2012. Some of the old actors returned to the 2012 production (Elena Charkviani and Natalya Koretskaya as Donna, Andrei Klyuev as Sam, Andrei Birin as Sky, Dmitry Golovin as Pepper, Vladimir Khalturin as Bill, Elvina Mukhutdinova as Rosie), while many new artists appeared (Anastasia Makeeva as Donna, Antonina Berezka and Maria Ivashchenko as Sophie, Vadim Michman and Kirill Zaporozhsky as Skye, Maxim Zausalin and Igor Portnoy as Harry, Eteri Beriashvili as Rosie).

On March 14-16, 2013, special performances were held with a “golden” cast, in which, in addition to Elena Charkviani and Andrei Klyuev, Natalia Bystrova, who played the role of Sophie in 2006-2008, was invited, “the best Sophie in the world” according to reviews of ABBA group members. In addition, Natalia played several performances in April.

From October 19 to November 16, 2013, the musical was screened in St. Petersburg on the stage of the Music Hall.

Plot

Act 1

The action takes place on the Greek island of Skopelos, where there is a tavern run by the domineering and demanding Donna Sheridan. Her 20-year-old daughter Sophie secretly sends invitations to her wedding late at night to three men: Sam Carmichael, Harry Bright and Bill Austin ( My dream). On the appointed day, her friends Ali and Lisa arrive, to whom Sophie reveals a secret: when she is getting ready to marry her beloved Skye, she dreams that the ceremony will take place according to all the rules, and for this she lacks the smallest thing - to be taken to the altar the same father, which is precisely the problem, since Sophie does not have a father. 20 years ago, Donna, herself not much older than her daughter, gave birth to her out of wedlock, and to all Sophie’s questions she answered only one thing: her father knows nothing about her, because they separated long before Donna realized that she was pregnant. But by chance, Sophie found Donna’s diary, which she kept in the year of her birth, and learned that she had successively three novels at once, which could lead to the birth of Sophie - with Sam, Bill and Harry. Sophie finds these people and sends them wedding invitations, but she writes the invitations on behalf of her mother. She does not inform Donna herself ( Darling, darling).

In turn, Donna herself invites her old military friends, Tanya and Rosie, to the wedding of her daughter, who were once her backing vocalists in their pop group “Donna and Dynamos”. Unlike Donna, they have no children, but Tanya has three marriages and a million-dollar fortune, and Rosie is not married at all, but is still just as cheerful and easy-going. Meanwhile, it becomes clear that Donna’s hotel business is not going through the best of times ( Money, Money, Money). Later that day, Sam (an American architect), Harry (a British banker) and Bill (an Australian naturalist) also arrive. Sophie convinces them not to tell Donna that she invited them ( Thank you for the songs). Donna is surprised to see her former lovers ( Mamma Mia) and leaves in tears. She, crying, explains the situation to Tanya and Rosie and they cheer her up ( Chiquitita), trying to convince Donna that she can still be the same as when she was younger ( Dancing Queen).

Sophie, meanwhile, is confused: she expected that she would immediately recognize her father as soon as she saw him, which does not happen. She tries to tell Sky how this all makes her feel, to which Sky tells her that he will be the only person she will need ( Just give me love). At Sophie's bachelorette party "Donna and Dynamos", wearing their old costumes, they decide to rock the old ones and perform their songs ( Super troupe). Sam, Bill and Harry accidentally walk into a party and the guests persuade them to stay ( Give! Give! Give! (I should meet a man)). Sophie calls the “fathers” one by one for conversations and interesting details emerge. It turns out that Bill had a late rich Greek aunt, who, after Sophie’s birth, took Donna as her nurse and, in gratitude, bequeathed all her money to her, with which Donna built a tavern, but Harry sketched out the plan for the tavern as a joke.

Ultimately, when the trio learns that Sophie doesn't have a father, it dawns on them that that father could be one of them. Although Sophie asks them not to tell Donna anything ( What kind of game is this), each of the three volunteers to lead Sophie to the altar. Completely confused and therefore very upset, Sophie leaves the party ( Voulez-Vous).

Act 2

Sophie has a nightmare in which Bill, Sam and Harry fight for the right to walk her to the altar ( I'm under fire). Sophie is upset and Donna, assuming that Sophie wants to call off the wedding, offers to sort out all the details. In response, Sophie is offended and says that at least her children will not grow up fatherless. As she leaves the room, Sam comes to talk to Donna about Sophie, but Donna doesn't want to listen to him ( Somebody). On the one hand, she hates Sam because he had an affair with her while he was already engaged, which is why they broke up almost with a scandal. But now she admits that of the whole trio she loved him the most, after which both admit that they would like to try to renew their former love ( S.O.S.).

On the beach, Harry asks Tanya what a father of the bride should usually do at his daughter's wedding. Tanya explains that her father gave money. After this, a young guy named Pepper, who works at Donna’s tavern, tries to approach her, but she rejects him ( If mom doesn't mind). Sky finds out why Sophie invited the trio, and, upset that she did not let him in on her plans, accuses her of selfishness: in his opinion, she threw a wedding just to find out who her father is. After this, Sam comes to Sophie and tries to give fatherly advice, describing his unsuccessful marriage ( Knowing everything, knowing us), but Sophie is not consoled. Harry comes to Donna and offers to pay for the entire wedding, after which they reminisce about their romance ( This summer). Sophie comes to Donna and asks her to help her put on her wedding dress. During this, Sophie discovers the sad truth: her grandmother disowned Donna when she found out about the pregnancy, which is why Donna and her daughter settled in Greece. And although Donna says that she does not regret at all that everything turned out this way, Sophie is forced to admit that whoever her biological father was, he did not do for her anything that Donna did, and makes a decision: to the altar of her Donna should lead ( Are eluding me again).

Sam arrives and tries to talk to Donna again, but she doesn't want to see him and asks him to leave. He refuses, to which Donna reminds him how much he broke her heart ( Whoever wins is right). It turns out they are still very much in love with each other, albeit against Donna's better judgement. Rosie is making final preparations at the tavern (the wedding will be held in the tavern) when an upset Bill arrives, having learned that Donna will be leading Sophie to the altar. He states that he is constantly left alone, but he is attracted to Rosie, who encourages him to reconsider his views on life ( Test me). The guests gather, Donna escorts Sophie to the altar. But before the priest has a chance to begin the ceremony, Donna confesses to everyone gathered about Sophie's father's presence. And although Sophie herself admits that she knows this, which is why she invited the trio, she learns another unexpected truth: Donna herself has no idea which of them is her father - the intervals between the novels were so short that it was impossible to find out. All participants in the story agree that the father's affiliation does not matter, since Sophie loves all three, and they themselves are happy to be at least one-third her father. Finally, Harry, who has often mentioned his "other half" throughout the show, admits that it is a man.

Suddenly Sophie stops the wedding and admits that she is not ready to get married. Sam takes his chance and confesses to Donna that he fell in love with her 20 years ago and broke off his engagement. He returned to Greece, but discovered that Donna was already having an affair with someone else (Bill), after which he still married his original bride, had children, but eventually divorced. Donna forgives him ( Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah). In the finale, Sam and Donna get married, and Sophie and Sky go on a tour around the world ( My dream) .