Save The Last Dance For Me

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Liverpool Empire Theatre

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Date: June 6 2016
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

At a time when there is uncertainty about Britain's future in the European market via the EU vote and when holiday prices can make even the simplest break seem like an expensive trip, there's nothing better than a good trip down memory lane. Nostalgia can be a wonderful thing at times, and especially for an older generation, it's often good to sit back and discuss the way that things used to be, back when life was so much simpler, and when you made the most of whatever you had.

It is this vibe of the "good old days" which this show, Save The Last Dance For Me, attempts to recapture, and it does so very well. People of a certain age will remember a time when a big holiday meant travelling for several hours to a bread-and-butter caravan site with one or two nearby attractions, with the odd use of a singular telephone box being your only link to life back home, and with the success of the holiday dependant on who, if anybody, that you met and befriended during your trip away. Sure, you couldn't Tweet what you were up to each night and your memories are confined to your memory and to a couple-dozen printed photographs on an oversized camera rather than having hundreds of pics on your iPhone, but that represented the simplicity of holiday life a few decades ago; some would say that things were a lot better back then for that very reason.

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Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia!

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Date: February 24 2015
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England

I have been a huge fan of ABBA's music for many years; they created so many hit songs that are very famous and range from catchy sing-a-longs to slower, quiet tunes, but almost all have a clear message. Whether you love Dancing Queen or Money, Money, Money, most people will have a favourite ABBA song, and most ABBA fans will love almost all of their songs.

So when the musical Mamma Mia!, first established in the West End in 1999, finally came to Liverpool, I really wanted to see it. I knew of the storyline behind the show, I understood that it would be light-hearted and feel-good, and I also recognised that a strong, experienced cast would be on hand, but to incorporate the music of ABBA would enhance the experience as a whole. And Mamma Mia! certainly achieved that: a theatre-goer watching this show will recognise all of their favourite ABBA hits, but it is important to point out that even if ABBA's music were replaced by the songs of another band, or if the music featured consisted of original tunes, Mamma Mia! would still be a very enjoyable and memorable show. Of course, the ABBA soundtrack elevates it even greater.

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