Mamma Mia! (Tour – Newcastle)

The worldwide smash hit musical Mamma Mia! has settled in to the Newcastle Arena for a five week run with a mainly new cast and they show how it justly deserves to be the monster smash it has turned out to be. Of course the music of ABBA is the backbone of the show which is set on a Greek island but the care and attention that have been taken when the show was first produced to the lyrics and the way in which the original numbers were written, performed and recorded gives this show a quality its followers (and impersonators) have not found. The story follows Sophie (Miria Parvin), who invites the three men she believes could be her father to her wedding. She fails to tell her Mother, Donna (Jackie Clune) or groom Sky (Gary Watson), anything about the letters and is surprised when the three turn up not realising they are the victims of a set up. Meanwhile Donna has invited two friends to the wedding who used to be in a group called the Dynamos with her. Slowly the men realise the reason they are invited is down to the fact they could be Sophie’s father. While this is an ensemble show, the quality of the performers is unquestionable with previous performances having been in the likes of The Phantom of The Opera, Les Miserables, Billy Elliot and Mamma Mia! in London. The comedy mainly comes from the excellent scene stealing Leanne Rogers as Rosie and Kate Graham as Tanya. ABBAs hits fit perfectly and never feel they have been shoe horned in to the story. We know by the end we will all be up dancing and along the way can happily clap and sing along. “Dancing Queen”, “Honey Honey”, “Lay All Your Love On Me”, “I Have A Dream”, “Super Trouper”, “Winner Takes It All” and of course “Mamma Mia” are just some of the hits that are in this show. But importantly it is not just another juke box musical it is a well crafted show that has paid attention to the quality of the original ABBA songs to ensure they have justice done to them and it shows.