Mamma Mia... in her sister's shoes!

Blaise Colangelo is well into her second year as Lisa, best friend to Sophie, in Mamma Mia '“ exactly the part her own sister had played before her.
BlaiseBlaise
Blaise

The show is currently at the Brighton Centre for a summer stint until September 3, and Blaise is still relishing every moment.

Set on a Greek island paradise, a story of love, friendship and identity is told through the timeless songs of Abba. Sophie’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings her mother face to face with three men from her distant romantic past on the eve of a wedding they’ll never forget.

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“I started in February last year,” says Blaise. “Obviously you get time off! But then the contract came up after the first year, and I carried on.”

She’s with the show now until March next year, thoroughly enjoying the fact that while the film is quite intimate, with the stage show, you are just so much more involved.

Inevitably Blaise knew the film before coming to it, but the best preparation was that her sister Jasmin was in the show for a couple of years, playing the same role.

“It was helpful to discuss it. She helped me with the auditions, just to have an idea what to expect and what they would be looking for.”

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There was a year in between the two sisters taking on the role, but when the show played Plymouth on the current tour, they actually did get to share the stage:

“One of the girls was injured, and they called in Jasmin to replace her. We did a week of shows together. Obviously, we had been on stage together in a lot of amdrams a long time ago, but this was great. We were both in the ensemble, and I had a moment when it was quite surreal. I looked across and saw Jasmin on stage and I thought ‘Hi Jasmin!’ I said it… but only in my head!”

The touring inevitably is hard as they travel the country: “And obviously we are away from home. But even though it is hard work, it really pays off. It is such a feel-good show. You can never feel depressed even if you have had a rubbish day. You always leave the building on a high! You can never feel at a low point with it. You come into work and you sing Abba and you laugh a lot. It’s pretty good!

“Obviously I think the music is key to the success, and the storyline blends it all together. And we have got an amazing cast. What you get is the full package, and we have got some amazing principals.

“I am with the show until March next year.”

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It’s hard to say whether she would like to go on beyond that: “I would love to, but at the same time I would love to explore other things and try something different perhaps and be involved with something else.

“But at the same time, it is just amazing being part of this. But then you have got to get out of your safety zone as well sometimes.”

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