, “Mamma Mia” started off as a chart-topping pop song in 1075 by the Swedish pop group ABBA. Then it became a musical stage show featuring a whole collection of ABBA songs. Finally, it became a
blockbuster musical film starring Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard and
Amanda Seyfried.
ABBA was one of the most successful pop bands in Europe. They were on top of the music charts
around the world from 1972 to 1982. They sold over 375 million records globally. There were four
members, two women and two men who were also married couples. The couples split up in 1979 and
1981 and then finally the band split up in 1983.
The stage show is a global phenomenon and is currently doing an international tour as well as
permanently playing in London’s WEST End and on Broadway in New York. It came about 1991. It
was an idea of British producer Judy Craymer. She got permission from Benny Andersson and Bjorn
Ulvaeus from ABBA to use their songs and hired playwright Catherine Johnson to write the book for
the musical. The show was an instant success and today it has versions in 16 different languages.
The story is about a young bride-to-be and her single mother, Donna, who live on a Greek island. The
girl wants her father to walk her down the aisle, but she doesn’t know who he is. She invites three
men from her mother’s diary to the wedding without telling her. It’s an amusing and touching story.
The film version is slightly different and came out in 2008. It is more of a musical comedy because the
producers didn’t choose the actors for their singing abilities.
It got mixed reviews, but it was a huge hit with the cinema-going public and became the most
successful British-made film of all time. It is also the fastest –selling DVD of all time in the UK.
1. “Mamma Mia’ began as a
A. popular song.
B. musical film.
C. popular stage show.
D. musical show.
2. In 1982, ABBA
A. stopped being a band.
B. members’ marriages ended.
C. was on top of the music charts.
D. sold 375 million records.


* возможны другие форматы по программе

3. The stage show started because
A. Catherine Johnson got permission to write it.
B. Benny Andersson produced it.
C. Bjorn Ulvaeus wrote the book.
D. Judy Craymer thought of it.
4. The story’s central theme is
A. life on an island.
B. a family relationship
C. a girls’ wedding.
D. a girl’s search for her father.
5. The film
A. was the best British-made film ever.
B. was a hit with reviewers.
C. was the same as the stage show.
D. had a lot of great singers in it.

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