JAPANESE ENGLISH

15 April 2005, Utrecht, The Netherlands

After a 12 hour flight from Tokyo I checked in at the hotel in Amsterdam and then immediately went to The Beatrix Theatre in Utrecht where Mamma Mia! in the Netherlands was playing. I was looking forward to see the Dutch performance, as I had already listened the songs on the original CD. As a matter of fact I had a hard time in getting the ticket because neither the official site of Mamma Mia! in the Netherlands nor The Top Ticket Line were in English. Anyway I received a confirming mail written in Dutch "Uw tickets worden naar het volgende adres gestuurd"(Your tickets are to be sent to your address?, I thought) and the credit card's transaction was completed. But I still had not received the tickets after waiting 3 weeks. So I hurried to the theater with a copy of mails by their suggestion.

I thought the station of Amsterdam Central looks like the station of Tokyo very much. But the fact is that the station of Tokyo is a modeled on that of Amsterdam Central. I was so surprised to see the passengers bringing bicycles or cats onto the trains.

At last I got my tickets for the two shows and really felt that I could see the stage of that Holland version CD in the presence. The seat today, of course my legs were swaying not reaching the floor as usual(for us Japanese everything is tall), was a little bit left in a central of the 12th row. I only sit at the left side in a central row when I am abroad. In Japan I always reserve a seat to the rightside of a center row so that I can see Sophie sitting on the edge of the stage clearly. I was surprised that I was able to get easily for 12th row while it was only a month ago when I got on website. Besides it's Friday today. And yet I've got a that of 10th for the day after tomorrow, Sunday. It was overcapacity though I wonder if there was a vacant seat. Frist I noticed to see at the stage fallen cartain, the stage is longer in width than that of other countries. Yes!, Harrie(Harry) and Roos(Rosie) were outstanding today!. Of course their voices were good and impressive. Especially I remember well the happening at the 'Thank You For The Music' scene. Harrie(Harry) said "H.B.- Head Banger!. That's what they called me in those days!(of course he said that not in English but in Dutch).", nodding his head roughly and it made the audience laugh. I know about this at the scene as usual, but today it didn't stop soon - the laughter increased one after another. At last the scene didn't turn to the next and he said blushing with embarrassment to someone in the audience "All right?(I didn't know what he said in Dutch but maybe he meant that)". But the laughter made bigger and another woman said something to him, and he blushed to his collar bones and couldn't start to sing soon. Even I, have ever seen a hundred and scores of times and it no longer makes me laugh, couldn't help laughing then. It was plotted? or a happening? I thought. But the same thing didn't happen in the performance on two days later, it might be improvise(ad-lib?) indeed. By the way the Dutch are friendly and open-hearted. - They never pretend not to know when I ask them the way, sometimes she or he asks another person expressly to show me. The lady in the next seat told me who were substitutes when I checked the members on the program. I sensed the unassuming Dutch in the performance, too. About the direction, it was entirely the same as the early stages of Japanese Mamma Mia!. Almost the same except - Sky in a wedding dress disappeared quickly (After all, only in Japanese Mamma Mia! is he staying long time on the stage in a dress?) at the 'Under Attack' scene. Or except - Not only Sam but also Sophie wasn't sitting on the edge of the stage at the 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' scene. Their lines "dot, dot, dot" changed to "puntje, puntje, puntje" - I asked the gentlewoman next to me. Of course everybody stood up for the curtain call. But they didn't wave their arms from right to left, then left to right, to the 'Dancing Queen' in the cartain call. I don't know why.

Simone who is playing Donna for a long time, it seems to be lots of supporters of her here. The shout of joy went up every time she showed up in the stage. She is original cast, of course, Donna of CD. Her voice became hoarse in some part. Or whispered intentionally?. As for the sounds of the entire this performance, less a low tone, feels light sound as you feel same on CD.

I was really luckey to have seen the understudy Sophie today. She sang in a clear voice, maybe better than the original in CD, I think. Her performance is feminine. I also think she is the best graceful Sophie that I've ever seen.

After the performance, Of course, I went to the 'Disco Dancing Queen' inside the building. They danced enjoying the songs in the 70-80s nothing but ABBA. As for me, cared the time for the last train, enjoyed dancing. All of them were singing snatches but didn't dance at all in ABBA's songs. Why?

16 April 2005, Roosendaal, The Netherlands International ABBA Day

To participate in the International ABBA Day had been my wish for years. I changed my itinerary for the Dutch Mamma Mia! so I could go to this event in Roosendaal which is only about 2 hours from the hotel in Amsterdam, so I could meet many ABBA fans from all over the world. We can exchange our ABBA items or can sell them. Enjoying videos(some were TV shows that I've never seen), we can talk with. At Karaoke time nobody sang - sorry, Ms.Helga...I always enjoying ABBA KARAOKE in my country... Of course, we really had a nice time at the disco time. It was a memorable event indeed. And now I'm still laughing to myself about the reminiscenes of everybody's imitating Agnetha seriously -"Feeling like a number one, Tonight the Super Trouper".

17 April 2005, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Yesterday I left the hotel at 10am in the morning and came back after midnight. After that I went outside again for something to eat. I was still too excited to sleep thinking of all the things (especially, all the other fans I had met). And I ended up oversleeping and did not leave the hotel after 12 noon today. I've got on a local train by mistake and arrived at Utrecht at 2pm when the show was due to start. From the window of the train I could see the theater which is in front of the station of Utrecht Central, but I was hasty and run to the exit of the station. In spite of my worry the show wasn't started yet and all the audience were relaxing with drinks in the lobby(to surprise, smoking as well as drinking is allowed in the robby at this theater). Oh, It is not punctual, so I love European case. The ticket for Sunday is to be expected that costs a little bit expensive 75 euro. But it was overcapacity. My seat for the day before yesterday was Rij:12 Stoel:29 and for today is Rij:10 Stoel:28. So I was sure that my seat should be similar place on the second ahead from that of that day's. But there are NOT 28 seat!. I asked the officer and was guided to the right side. So the number was arranged from the center - just like ---29---5,3,1,2,4---28---. It was a little bit right in a central of the 10th row today. And luckily in this trip I could see the performance from the both sides of the center. The scene "Head Banger!." in question was going smoothly after the laughs in the audience. Yes, the happening on that day was a rare chance and I was really lucky to have seen the scene. On the whole, the sound of "Mamma Mia! in Utrecht" seems to be lilting music, I found the different sounds from other Mamma Mia! I've ever heard. The lilting means that the sound of a drum(a synthesizer?) is moderately, I can't express well. And Harrie(Harry)'s partner's name changed to 'Jan-Willem'.(Thank you, Hilje)

Today's Sophie was the original. The completely the same voice of the CD's. I think she works her part in a well-modulated action and her performance is suitable for the musicals.

I finally saw a windmill on my way back to Amsterdam. When I reached the hotel, thinking that I must leave the Nethelands tomorrow, so I went for a walk through the streets. I never got to do any sightseeing at all, but I really enjoyed ABBA to the full in those 3 days.


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