Reviewed by Lindsay Burton
26th November 2019, what a night! My guest and I arrived at The O2 arena in London, having battled hours of horrendous traffic conditions on the M1 and very excited for the experience that lay in store for us! The venue, set on the Greek island of Skopelos, where much of the principal location filming for the movies took place, and specifically inside a giant taverna owned and run by islander Nikos and his partner Kate, was utterly mesmerizing and stunningly breathtaking! There are burbling fountains, blue chairs and tables with checked tablecloths, ferry timetables tacked to the walls and plastic bougainvillea adorning the walls throughout. The attention to detail is quite charming. With some 500 covers, it is much bigger than any taverna I’ve ever been to – and operationally, at least, the first thing to induce absolute wonder is the slickness of the operation as meals are served by waiters (who all have a performing sideline, taking part in the singing and dancing alongside the named cast) across the three acts that the show is divided into. So I have to just to my hat off to them for the continuous smooth flow of service and constant entertainment!
The four-course set menu emphasized the very essence of Greek island life and the feast got underway with a mezze of soft bread and platters of olives, tzatziki and taramasalata. The succulent starters followed the first act and we were served salad, charred octopus and spanakopita. Our appetites were thoroughly increased through the second act and rewarded with tender Lamb Kleftiko and Beef Flank with various sides. By the time we finished our refreshing orange cake and yoghurt pudding, we were ready to hit the dance floor in true ABBA style.
Nikos (Fed Zanni) welcomes us to his restaurant and introduces his partner Kate (Steph Parry) – she did the costumes for Mamma Mia! They fell in love and never left. Nikos has a lovely daughter, Konstantina (Julia Imbach) and Kate has an attractive and cheeky nephew and barman, Adam (AJ). As our show experience opens the young couple are in love, Nikos doesn’t approve of their budding relationship, and this state of affairs continues throughout the course of the evening.
The remarkable design of Bengt Fröderberg is like a giant Las Vegas-style installation giving creation to a 360-degree experience, creating a performance space in, around and above us, that’s truly outstanding and inviting everyone to join in with every single part of the show. Gareth Owen’s sound design makes sure that that the sound is always crystal-clear, all over the auditorium; and the immensely pleasant cast negotiate the multiple levels of the set with legerdemain, freely interacting with the audience along the way. Julia and AJ (and an entire recording crew) came to our table and played a cocktail game with us which was thoroughly enjoyable and yes, my team won! And here I found my only disappointment which was that my guest and I had to share a table (and dips) with another couple. As the experience for me was thoroughly enjoyable and we were guests of the venue so I was just grateful to be there, I wasn’t too concerned. But my concern was for the other couple who didn’t freely choose to share their personal space with strangers. As it turned out, we got on extremely well and had an enjoyable dining experience, but this could have turned out very differently for all parties. But apart from this, the evening was a huge success and I would recommend anyone to take a chance on this experience, it will not disappoint.
Then, just when you think that they evening is coming to an end, the talented waiting staff energetically clear the tables from the centre area, set up a podium catwalk and the cast emerge in full ABBA dress up – white spandex and platforms – and perform a stunning medley of ABBA’s best hits. The disco continues for another hour and guests leave the venue, having truly experienced the feel of living the Mamma Mia dream.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £92.50
Mamma Mia! The Party is at The O2 in London from 27 November 2019 to 31 May 2020, for more information or to book tickets visit www.mammamiatheparty.com.
