Tourism & Hospitality | Thursday 8 January, 2015 2:18 pm |

MAMMA MIA! – the smash hit musical featuring 22 of ABBA’s eternal hits has returned to Dubai to enthrall music fans in the UAE from all walks of life until 10 January 2015.

Even before the curtain goes up, the sounds of rhythmic applause take over the packed venue at Dubai World Trade Centre arena with excitement – when a live band plays a fantastic montage of instrumental versions of ABBA’s most popular hits.

And when the show finally kicks off, a moment of silence fills the air as audiences eagerly wait for Sophie’s story to unfold on stage. A soon-to-be-bride, Sophie lets the guests in on her life as audiences sing their hearts out and dance and groove each time the cast performs ABBA’s timeless tracks.

“I really couldn’t be more ecstatic! The MAMMA MIA! musical has definitely touched my love for music and I just can’t help but dance and sing to the tune of ABBA’s greatest hits,” said Ian Jesse Adelbert Borromeo, a publicist maven attending the event. “I have been singing ABBA’s songs since I was a kid and I am extremely delighted to watch this sensational musical extravagance. Dubai’s international version is indeed superb.”

Paul Cunningham, a business proprietor from Great Britain, said: “I am a big fan of musicals especially MAMMA MIA! I’ve seen it before on a tour to Prague and of course, the movie, featuring the legendary, Meryl Streep. The vocals were great and so is the choreography. My all-time favourite song, however, is ‘Dancing Queen’.”

Ushi Sato, a Japanese fashion designer based in Dubai, said he has always been a fan of musicals, “MAMMA MIA! will always have a special place in my heart. The song ‘Chiquitita’ drove me crazy; it reminds me of my dad as he loves to sing that song.”

Sera, who came with her daughter Simone, said she had seen the musical in the UK before: “We love the songs, we love the dances, and of course the voices. They did full justice to my favorite songs. It was perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing. But, my favorite bit of the musical, hands down, was the finale.”

The show ended with a fabulous encore, when every cast member donned in colourful costumes, stood up and sang MAMMA MIA! in chorus. The musical ended with a standing ovation from the crowd and a shower of golden glitters adding a final sparkle to the fabulous event.

MAMMA MIA! runs until 10 January at the Dubai World Trade Centre and is held as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), organized by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). The show will be staged at 5pm and 9pm on 8 and 9 January and on 10 January at 4pm and 8pm.

Tickets for this not-to-be-missed musical are available on Platinumlist (www.platinumlist.net) in the following categories: Silver – AED 195, Gold – AED 295 – AED 395, Platinum – AED 495, Diamond – AED 795 and Royal – AED 1295.

Set to be the biggest in the festival’s history, with an exciting calendar of events in store that celebrate DSF’s key pillars of Shopping, Winning and Entertainment, the 20th edition of DSF is being held under the theme “20th Anniversary – A Journey of Celebrations”. The landmark edition offers more than 150 citywide events, mega attractions and numerous shopping opportunities and winning options for visitors and residents from around the world.