Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!

Thank you all for the explanations re auto-tune and references to Tesco. I'm still not sure how I should recognise use of the former and as for the latter, I thought at first that Cher must have been doing adverts for Tesco! Not long now until I see the film for myself, anyway.

Our local cinema has a special premiere tonight.... but it's ladies night so I can't go.
Can't wait til Thursday haha.

Have to wait till Friday, I’M NOT HAPPY!

it was for the original, I remember his name being rumoured early on and he also confirmed it on Graham Norton. I'd guess Sam but the role was never confirmed

As a substitute, I’ll have the soundtrack to comfort me!

Same here, but I have booked my tickets so guaranteed to see it and it'll be a nice end of the working week treat after manning the office solo on Friday!

neither Catherine Johnson or Phyllida Lloyd were interested in doing the sequel but gave Judy the blessing to develop it. Catherine Johnson does have story credit so I wonder what her involvement was

Read more: theatreboard.co.uk/thread/2876/mamma-mia-again?page=21#ixzz5LS4c7iGr

Catherine created the characters and the original story which the prequel/sequel builds on, so only right that she gets a credit.

I was at the world premier tonight. What an evening!!! Cher steals the film.

So, as previously mentioned, both tbfl and I went to to the preview screening of Mamma Mia!- Here We Go Again! and now that it July 17th and the press embargo has been lifted. I can talk about the film.

We went along to the Vue Cinema at Westfield Shepherds Bush. As this was a preview, all phones had to be turned off and placed in a silver sealed bag.

Before the film commenced, the Producer Judy Cramer was there and Director, Ol Parker with came out to explain the was hot off the press, being finished only 10 days ago and this would be the firs UK prewire screening.

I am going to do my best to review this without giving away too much in terms of the plot and spoilers.

The film itself is very good. Really.

It holds its's own as a film and stands strong against the first.

However, this is a slightly different with more substance and no way as light and frothy at the first.

There are no huge beach based dance numbers. if you're going to look at beautiful people frolicing in beachwear then you'll be huge disappointed.

With the occasional exception there are no bikini's. The only bare chest you see if that of the young Bill and Sam characters.

Dominic Cooper- sorry peoples. The best you're gonna get is him in a singlet/vest.

There is one scene where the young Donna is snorkelling with the young Bill and another scene where she is on a boat talking with the young Sam and there is such wonderful capture of light. In both scenes she wears a bikini top.

The Songs

Some really good, interesting choices. For me personally, the best stages songs is One of Us. Beautifully filmed and some wonderful transitions.

Angeleyes is also done extremely well, and they've taken the opportunity to stage it really well using the opportunity to show off Christine Baranski and Julie Walters comedic skills, cutting each other off and they sing the lyrics.

Kisses of Fire is done in an extremely humorous way and Andante Andante is also done well and really works.

Hasta Mañana is not really sung; well its sung but not staged and performed. In the scene there is a party happening and it's playing in the back ground as the characters of Rosie and Bill are talking.

Knowing Me, Knowing You is also placed very well and also works

Waterloo is very well staged and the cast and ensemble all work extremely hard and for me, one of the highlights of this sequence is seeing an ensemble cast member in a wheelchair.

Why Did It have To Be Me also works well and My Love, My Life is perfectly placed.

I was also concerned about how they'd shoehorn Fernando in but this is does with such ease and the answer regarding Andy Garcia's singing is answered.

Yes, the songs, Mamma Mia!, Supertroupers and Dancing Queen are all repeated but used in entirely different ways- look out for the Titanic reference.

Chiquitta is also underscored.

Non of the original three Dad's sing full songs. Anyone concerned about Pierce Brosnon's sining, you will be fine.

The Cast

As is well known, the whole cast is back, with one or two different characters introduced. And that great because as an audience member, you recognise then straight away.

For the original cast, well just like we all have, they've aged 10 years but they all look great! The only one who really looks once older is Pierce Brosnon, but to be fair, there are quite a few close ups.

Christine Baranski looks fabulous.

Cher is only in the last 15 minutes or so.

All of the younger cast are great! Lily James as the young Donna is terrific! So brash and confident and has a lovely voice.

Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies as the young Tanya and Rosie are so well cast. Instantly recognisable as the characters and they've obviously had vocal training as when they talk, they sound just like their older counterparts.

Clearly a lot of thought has gone into the characterisation. There is one scene where the young Rosie is easting a slice of cake with crumbs falling onto her blouse. which is then repeated by the older Rosie.

There is a humorous incident where Rosie and Tanya and having a massage and Rosie has on a face mask and slices of cucumber on her eyes which when she gets up she eats.

We also see how even back the Rosie fancied bill.

The same with the three young guys playing the younger Sam, Bill and Harry.

Hugh Skinner as the young Harry is just great and has got the awkwardness of Colin Firth that we all know so well down.

Sophies two bridesmaids Lisa and Ali and the character of Pepper from the first film are not in this.

None of the original ensemble- including Harry's Greek boyfriend- are in this either.

The only one to appear again in a blink-and-you-miss-it shot is the older Greek lady carrying a bundle of sticks on her back.

Watch out for the cameos of Benny and Bjorn- Benny in (When I) Kissed the Teacher and Benny in Waterloo.

Agnetha and Anni-Fridd (again) do not appear.

Also look out for Omid Djalili.

We also get to see the Aunt Sophia that Sophie was named after.

The setting

Both films are set in Greece. The first is filmed in Greece, this one filmed in Croatia.

The small chapel on the hill is in it again with a whole song set in there.

My only criticism of this film is that the set and green screening is extremely obvious.

This film answers a lot of questions- How the young Donna met the three possible Dad's and how she came to be on the Greek island of Calicari.

There for one or two minor storylines that I though "Where are they going with this?", but rest assured, it comes together and works

Is Donna dead?

I'm not gonna answer because to do so would give away a huge spoiler in the storyline and I've said up front that I'm not gonna do that.

The answer to the question is actually in the released clips.

I have even had (unbelievably) a board member private message me three times trying to extract an answer!

What I will confirm with absolute certainty is that Meryl Streep is in this film. She actually sings a whole song.

However, for some cinema goers there are also a lot of questions that are not answered.

We STILL don't know who's Sophie's real Dad is.

From the released clips we all know that Sophie is pregnant and we go from her announcing her pregnancy to all of a sudden having a baby that she's going to Christen.

We do not see either any scenes of her pregnancy, or the birth. Nor do we know the sex of the baby.

Both of which, I guess, are not that important really, but it's something that cinema goers will notice.

I recognise that this film won't appeal to everyone for varying reasons however but, regardless of what you think, the one thing I do know is that this will be a Summer hit!

Here we go again...

Does Cher appear in any of the flashback scenes?

if people want spoilers there's a thread on broadwayworld message board that gives spoilers