Also this issue:

Northern Lights
A report from Toronto’s World Stage festival.
-Toby Zinman

Are You Hot?
Two artists answer that question with technology, not washed-up celebrity judges.
-Robin Rice

Artsbeat
-Debra Auspitz

No Show
-Patrick Rapa

La Traviata
-David Shengold

"Back to the Future" at SkateNerd Gallery
-Brian White

Miami City Ballet
-Janet Anderson

Faust
-Peter Burwasser

May 1- 7, 2003

artpicks

Mamma Mia!

by Debra Auspitz

Somewhere between a performance by the diehard ABBA cover band Björn Again and a Disney theatrical spectacle lies Mamma Mia! The brain trust behind the '70s super pop group's infectious tunes, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (who are also responsible for the show Chess), created a paper-thin plot to tie together 22 ABBA songs, including staples like "Dancing Queen," snappy numbers like the title song and "Take a Chance on Me" and sappy ballads like "Name of the Game." The story follows three middle-aged women who used to be in a singing group who get together for one of the women's daughter's wedding. Unbeknownst to mom, the daughter has invited all three of the men who might possibly be her father (mamma got around in her singing days, apparently) to the wedding. Hijinks ensue. Some of the songs are made into plot points -- the daughter sings "Name of the Game" to the man she thinks is her real father -- while other numbers are merely an excuse to sing some ABBA (the sluttiest of the three friends sings "Does Your Mother Know! to some young horndog suitors). And no, they didn't find a way to work "Fernando" into the plot. Warning: People will be dancing and clapping and generally acting like lunatics, especially at the end as the cast drops the façade of putting on a theatrical production and just does a short set of choreographed ABBA numbers (hey, they had to get "Waterloo" in there somewhere). The biggest challenge may be stopping yourself from becoming one of those people.

Mamma Mia!, May 1-July 19, $30-$78, Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut St., 800-447-7400.