JAPANESE ENGLISH
16 November 2005, Osaka, Japan
1000th parformance in Japan

1000th performance of Mamma Mia! in Japan has arrived at last!. I cherished hopes for the new cast that was announced just a couple of days ago. The current Sohie had already played the character of Lise and I know her well. It was the first time I had seen the new Donna played by Akiko Kuno and who is famouse as a bigwig in Shiki. I only know her name because she was on a television program where she sang a song with Minako Honda, my favorite, who passed away just 10 days ago.

Getting tickets was difficult even for me, a membership of Shiki Group this time. It was sold out in only 15 minutes but eventually I managed to get two tickets for the 3rd row.

I enjoyed Mamma Mia! in Tokyo every week, but unfortunately cannot get to see Mamma Mia! in Osaka every month anymore. But it is not far from Tokyo to Osaka anyway and this was a special accasion, so far only two hours or so on the SHINKANSEN I arrived at the theatre filled with anticipation.


 

It was terrific!. I could hardly describe the details. That't why I did not write this report for a while after the performance. As I know well that this Mamma Mia! in Osaka doesn't have an orchestra, but I feel uneasy that new cast(for me)were not as good at singing. I aslo know that many of the tickets for this performance were sold from the owner to another after recognizing some of the popular cast do not appear in this performance. Usually Shiki fans pour into memorial events like this 1000th performance and get in a festive mood.

But it was not only I that found that their songs were bad, others in the audience left before the ending. Is that protest against this or something?. As for me, I did't enjoy it except for the unique curtain call. At the special curtain call, Sky and two of male Ensemble wearing black sunglasses appeared on the side of stage, wiggling their hips and sang in chorus. And three Dads sang "Super Trouper" in that costume. After this amusing performance, Dynamos with female Emsemble appeared and sang "Voulez-Vous". It was so funny and an amusing one indeed. Sophie, holding a microphone in her hand, sang "Thank You For The Music" and Donna gave an thank you address. Finally they sang "Thank You For The Music" again. Everyone in the audience was on their feet for the encores, I'm sorry I don't remember how many curtain calls there were.


 

Only I that missed the stages of Mamma Mia! in Tokyo?. Anyway I gave thunderous applause to Mamma Mia! in my country for entertaining us with ABBA songs no less than 1000 times. Though they didn't give us gifts I bought a commemorative stamp sheet, a really sweet one.



I cannot believe still there is no orchestra bit in Mamma Mia! in Osaka.

back to MEMORIES Of ABBA IN JAPAN