The Sound of "Mamma Mia"

In a recent review of ACT’s “Mamma Mia,” (see below) I commented on the sound, which was nothing less than, at times, assaulting, especially given the size of the new Ridgefield theater. After a repeat visit to the production, I’m happy to report that the production team at ACT seems to have worked out the problem. “Mamma Mia” is, by no means, a “quiet” musical – many of the ABBA songs are meant to pulse and pound in the ears and get the body up and moving. There’s nothing very subtle about the show, which ACT has boarded in all its gaudiness and over-the top staging – it’s what the material calls for and, by and large, what the audience craves. The production is flashy and frothy, but now it doesn’t require a visit to the ENT doctor for treatment after viewing.