I have always wanted to watch a musical. A musical is the magic of live cinema before your eyes with dialogues, singing, dancing and lots of expressions. I believe it is an experience to go and watch a musical. The thrill of watching the drama unfold before you is inexplicable. As a kid, I found the idea of theatre very fascinating and was a small time participant in school plays. At one point I had myself convinced that acting was my true calling and I would be sought after by the top agents in the business in order to cast me in their films. And then I grew up!
London is the cradle of musicals. At any point of time there are various musicals that are playing all over the city. My mother has always wanted to watch a musical and when the family came visiting during the summer, we decided we would definitely go for one. After some debate, Mamma Mia was chosen as it was from the “good old days” and would also ensure that my father did not get too fidgety. Bollywood movies and theatre have never been his thing and it is quite a task to get him to sit in his seat without a fight. And after all, all generations have had a dose of Abba at some point in their lives.
Mamma Mia has been playing at the Novello Theatre near Aldwych since September last year and is expected to be shown till early next year. The musical is spread over two and a half hours. Mamma Mia has a simple story about Sophie who is getting married. She has been brought up by her mother Donna as a single parent and she wants her father to walk her down the aisle. What happens is a series of comical events where she finds her mother’s old diary and ends up inviting three of her past dates in her quest to find out the identity of her real father. The musical takes several interesting turns with lots of drama and finally ends on a rather surprising note. Each and every character has been fabulously etched and it was a true delight to watch the show. The standing ovation by the audience at the end of the show was proof of the love and respect Mamma Mia commands. The audience had all generations from torn jeans and converse clad children to the moderately dressed to the wonderfully dapper men in suits and women in dresses right down to their pearls and perfume.
Tickets are available at various prices according to the seats and it is always a good idea to book them online. Make sure you keep checking for the best deals available as different sites have a variety of deals to suit different budgets. It took me almost a year to go and watch a musical but the experience was totally worth it. Even though as a student it is not the cheapest form of entertainment one may indulge in, it is definitely worth saving up for! Happy watching