Theatre News

Shobna Gulati Joins Mamma Mia! Liverpool Tour

The former ”Coronation Street” star and ”Loose Women” presenter joins the hit Abba musical in Liverpool as Tanya.

Shobna Gulati in her previous stage play April in Paris
Shobna Gulati in her previous stage play April in Paris

Shobna Gulati joins Sara Poyzer (Donna) and Sue Devaney (Rosie), when the Mamma Mia! International Tour comes to Liverpool next February.

Recently seen on stage in John Godber's April in Paris, Shobna has also played Sunita Alahan in Coronation Street, Anita in Victoria Wood's award-winning BBC series Dinnerladies, Nisha Clayton in the last ever series of Where the Heart is for ITV, and, most recently, Fiona in Kay Mellor's new BBC series In the Club. She plays Tanya in the hit musical.

The Liverpool cast also features Sara Poyzer’s real-life husband, Richard Standing as Sam Carmichael, Michael Beckley as Bill Austin, Mark Jardine as Harry Bright, Niamh Perry as Sophie Sheridan, Justin Thomas as Sky, Daniella Bowen as Ali, Tara Young as Lisa, Alex Simmons as Pepper and Charlie Stemp as Eddie. The role of Donna will be played at certain performances by Francesca Ellis.

Also in the cast will be Michael Anthony, Holly Ashton, Charlotte Bradford, Devon-Elise Johnson, Matt Kennedy, Gemma Lawson, Scott Mobley, Dean Read, Matthew Ronchetti, Ellie Rutherford, Parisa Shahmir, Katy Stedder, Rhodri Watkins, Tom Stanford-Wheatley, Simon Wilmont, Sarah Wilkie and Jamie Wilkin.

The Mamma Mia! International Tour is currently playing in Hong Kong, followed by Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai, and will then take a break before re-opening in Liverpool, for the first time at the Liverpool Empire from 20 February to 14 March. Liverpool will be the only UK mainland date outside of London to host the production in 2015.

Mamma Mia! is Judy Craymer’s of staging of ABBA’s songs featuring a tale of family and friendship unfolding on a Greek island paradise. To date, it has been seen by more than 54 million people in 39 productions in 14 different languages.

With music & lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, Mamma Mia! is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. The production is designed by Mark Thompson, with lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce & Bobby Aitken, and musical supervision, additional material & arrangements by Martin Koch.