Review: Mamma Mia! at Fair Oaks Theatre Festival

Can’t get enough of a certain musical about love, family and marriage, set to a certain Swedish pop band’s greatest hits? Yuba City’s The Acting Company isn’t the only place you can see Mamma Mia! this summer—Fair Oaks Theatre Festival also offers its own version under the stars, and it’s a pretty fun island getaway.

In the days leading up to her wedding, Sophie (Katie Halls) flips through her mother Donna’s (Brianne Hidden) old diary to deduce who her real father is. She sends three invitations to three suspects with the hope that her true father will show up and walk her down the aisle. It’s a pretty heartwarming tale, if you’re willing to overlook the egregious violation of privacy of the entire premise.

Overall the cast is solid, with standouts such as Leah Fraizer and Zoe Samborski providing comic relief as Donna’s friends and former singing mates.

When it came time for Sam Carmichael (Joe Hart) to sing in the second act however, things got a little rough. It’s puzzling that someone who consistently struggled to hit the notes was cast to carry two of the bigger numbers, “S.O.S.” and “Knowing Me, Knowing You.”

Despite hiccups, the highs are pretty high. Hidden absolutely nails “The Winner Takes It All,” driving home its emotional impact, and the ensemble elevates every number they’re in with dynamic choreography, especially “Under Attack,” Sophie’s prenuptial zombie nightmare.