Veronica Lee sees "many layers of irony" in Mamma Mia. I've only seen the film but I must have missed them, unless they were in the decision to cast three middle-aged men who can't sing or dance in a musical. Apparently I also failed to experience the "life-affirming joy"; mostly I just cringed behind a cushion.
But you can't argue with money. Mammia Mia is ten years old in the West End, has gone around the planet and done business at the box office. When was the last time that happened? Cabaret in the '70s?
In terms of musical theatre, however, it's really not much more than a souped-up karaoke evening. Nothing wrong with that. It's helped keep many an actor, musician and hen night party off the streets at night, for which we must be grateful. But Kander and Ebb it ain't.
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