The cradle of the musical comedy Mamma Mia! stood in England. Writer Catherine Johnson came up with the story and producer Judy Craymer added new ideas. Working closely with ex-ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, they managed to make the impossible possible: 22 ABBA hits were so ingeniously intertwined with the story that it seemed as if they were written especially for the musical.
After the London premiere in April 1999, Mamma Mia! all over the world (from Toronto to Tokyo) successfully performed and received with jubilation. Ulvaeus personally asked the writer Coot van Doesburgh to provide the Dutch translation of the lyrics. Under his watchful eye and critical ear, she did an excellent job. The interpretation of the Dutch cast is also excellent: The leading actors Simone Kleinsma and Céline Purcell were quite rightly awarded as Best Female Lead and Upcoming Talent respectively. The musical comedy itself received the ANWB Audience Award for Best Major Musical Production. (SvdP)more