Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream
| Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Reality competition |
| Presented by | Zoe Ball |
| Judges | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Ashley Whitehouse |
| Producer | Thames |
| Production company | Thames |
| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
| Release | 22 October 2023 – present |
Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream is a British television talent competition that that began airing on 22 October 2023 on ITV. The show documents the search for two new, unknown musical theatre performers to play the roles of Sophie Sheridan and Sky Ramand in the West End production of the musical Mamma Mia!. The series is presented by Zoe Ball, and features Samantha Barks, Alan Carr, Amber Riley and Jessie Ware as judges.
Format
The series documents the search to find two unknown musical theatre stars to play the integral roles of Sophie Sheridan and Sky Ramand in the 2024 West End production of the musical Mamma Mia!, based on the film of the same name as it celebrates the musical's 25th anniversary.[1][2] The format is similar to that of the BBC competitions How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?, Any Dream Will Do, I'd Do Anything and Over the Rainbow which aired on BBC One in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010 respectively.[3] ITV later aired a similar programme in 2012, Superstar documented the search to find a performer to play the lead role in the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, which was ultimately won by Ben Forster.[4] The series features fourteen contestants, seven men and seven women, who take part in masterclasses, challenges and workshops which focus on singing and dancing to on-stage chemistry which leads to a finale set to take place live in a West End theatre in which the public will decide the winners.[5][6]
Production
In September 2022, it was reported that ITV were planning to revive the musical theatre talent search format with a new series based on Mamma Mia.[7] In December 2022, ITV confirmed the commissioning of Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream. The series is produced by Thames, the production company behind the reality television formats Britain's Got Talent and I Can See Your Voice. The series is filmed in Corfu, Greece and is presented by Zoe Ball.[8] The judges include Samantha Barks, who was a finalist on I'd Do Anything in 2008, comedian Alan Carr, Glee actress Amber Riley and singer Jessie Ware.[9][10]
Contestants
The fourteen contestants competing for the roles of Sophie and Sky were announced on the day of the show's broadcast.[11]
Sophie
| Name | Age | Hometown | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maddy Erzan-Essien | 20 | Bolton | Eliminated 1st on 29 October 2023 |
| Maisie Waller | 22 | Margate | Eliminated 3rd on 12 November 2023 |
| Desmonda Cathabel | 27 | Jakarta | |
| Esme Bowdler | 22 | Chester | |
| Leah Rutherford | 20 | Redcar | |
| Stephanie Costi | 22 | St Albans | |
| Stevie Doc | 22 | Glasgow |
Sky
| Name | Age | Hometown | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darcy James | 23 | Hampshire | Eliminated 2nd on 5 November 2023 |
| Callum Ravden | 22 | Oxfordshire | Eliminated 3rd on 12 November 2023 |
| Craig Watson | 26 | Perthshire | |
| Marcellus Whyte | 36 | High Wycombe | |
| Owen Johnston | 25 | Belfast | |
| Tobias Turley | 23 | Somerset | |
| Zackhiel Smith | 22 | London |
Weekly summary
Results summary
- Colour key
| – | Contestant was eliminated |
| – | Contestant was in the bottom |
| – | Contestant who received the most public votes |
| Contestant | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Watson | Safe | — | Safe | Safe | |||||
| Desmonda Cathabel | Safe | Safe | — | Safe | |||||
| Esme Bowdler | Safe | Safe | — |
Risk |
|||||
| Leah Rutherford | Safe | Safe | — | Safe | |||||
| Marcellus Whyte | Safe | — | Safe | Safe | |||||
| Owen Johnston | Safe | — | Safe | Safe | |||||
| Stephanie Costi | Safe | Safe | — | Safe | |||||
| Stevie Doc | Safe | Safe | — | Safe | |||||
| Tobias Turley | Safe | — | Safe | Safe | |||||
| Zachkiel Smith | Safe | — | Safe |
Risk |
|||||
| Callum Ravden | Safe | — | Safe | Eliminated | Eliminated (week 4) | ||||
| Maisie Waller | Safe | Safe | — | Eliminated | Eliminated (week 4) | ||||
| Darcy James | Safe | — | Eliminated | Eliminated (week 3) | |||||
| Maddy Erzan-Essien | Safe | Eliminated | Eliminated (week 2) | ||||||
Week 1 (22 October)
For the show's the first episode, the fourteen contestants were placed in either duos or trios and performed a song by ABBA.[12]
Group performances:
| Order | Act | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maddy Erzan-Essien | "Money, Money, Money" | Safe |
| Stephanie Costi | |||
| 2 | Craig Watson | "SOS" | Safe |
| Marcellus Whyte | |||
| Tobias Turley | |||
| 3 | Callum Ravden | "Knowing Me, Knowing You" | Safe |
| Darcy James | |||
| 4 | Esme Bowdler | "Fernando" | Safe |
| Leah Rutherford | |||
| 5 | Owen Johnston | "Waterloo" | Safe |
| Zachkiel Smith | |||
| 6 | Desmonda Cathabel | "Chiquitita" | Safe |
| Maisie Waller | |||
| Stevie Doc |
Week 2 (29 October)
In the show's second episode, the Sophies had to demonstrate their acting skills by recreating a scene from the film, before having to perform solo for the first time.[13]
Group performance: "Dancing Queen"
| Order | Act | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Desmonda Cathabel | "I'll Never Love Again" (Lady Gaga) | Safe |
| 2 | Stephanie Costi | "Flashdance... What a Feeling" (Irene Cara) | Safe |
| 3 | Leah Rutherford | "Somebody to Love" (Queen) | Safe |
| 4 | Esme Bowdler | "Just a Girl" (No Doubt) | Safe |
| 5 | Stevie Doc | "Trustfall" (Pink) | Safe |
| 6 | Maddy Erzan-Essien | "I Say a Little Prayer" (Dionne Warwick) | Eliminated |
| 7 | Maisie Waller | "I Dreamed a Dream" (from Les Misérables) | Safe |
Week 3 (5 November)
In the show's third episode, the Skys had to demonstrate their acting skills by recreating a scene from the film, before having to perform solo for the first time.[14]
Group performance: "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"
| Order | Act | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Owen Johnston | "Luck Be a Lady" (from Guys and Dolls) | Safe |
| 2 | Darcy James | "Kiss Me" (Sixpence None the Richer) | Eliminated |
| 3 | Zachkiel Smith | "Footloose" (Kenny Loggins) | Safe |
| 4 | Craig Watson | "Your Song" (Elton John) | Safe |
| 5 | Callum Ravden | "Shivers" | Safe |
| 6 | Marcellus Whyte | "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" | Safe |
| 7 | Tobias Turley | "Pointless" | Safe |
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The Daily Telegraph |   [15] |
| The Independent | [16] |
| The Guardian | [3] |
The series was described by Lucy Mangan of The Guardian as a "wildly rushed, tension-free series that is never less than shrill". She ranked the series 2 out of 5 stars and noted that [the programme] showed "virtually nothing of the workshops and even less of the rehearsals" [...] adding that although the show featured full-length renditions of ABBA's greatest hits and great fun, there was "no tension, no investment, no context for any of [the programme]."[3]
Anita Singh of The Daily Telegraph was more positive in her review of the show's format, describing it as a "talent show with actual talent" and an "all-singing, all-dancing delight, perfect to distract from Britain's gloomy skies".[15] The Independent ranked the series 4 stars, a noted that the show "wonderfully captured [Mamma Mia's] unhinged party atmosphere, whilst Digital Spy observed that viewers had compared the series' contestants to that of Love Island.[16][17]
References
- ^ "Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream". ITV Press Centre. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream". ITV Press Centre. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ a b c Mangan, Lucy (22 October 2023). "Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream review – no reality show has ever featured this much screaming". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream contestants won't just sing ABBA songs". Radio Times. 16 October 2023. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ Golby, Joel (21 October 2023). "Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream: an Abba-themed musical TV contest? The prospect is horrific". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Here's Everything You Need To Know About ITV's New Mamma Mia Reality Show". HuffPost. 21 October 2023. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "ITV to reboot musical theatre talent search with Mamma Mia! series". The Stage. 8 September 2022. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Where is Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream filmed?". Radio Times. 22 October 2023. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream on ITV - How it works, who is hosting and who are the judges". Manchester Evening News. 22 October 2023. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! It's Alan Carr and Judy Craymer". ITV. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Meet the Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream contestants". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream – Episode 1". ITVX. 22 October 2023. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream – Episode 1". ITVX. 22 October 2023. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream – Episode 2". ITVX. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream, review: shock – a talent show with actual talent". The Daily Telegraph. 22 October 2023. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream review: ITV talent show wonderfully captures musical's unhinged party atmosphere". The Independent. 22 October 2023. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream viewers compare the reality show to Love Island". Digital Spy. 22 October 2023. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.