Feel the beat of the tambourine and bask in sun-soaked escapism when jukebox musical Mamma Mia! arrives in Milton Keynes this August.
Mamma Mia! is set on an idyllic Greek island and features the catchy, chart-topping songs of Swedish supergroup ABBA. Really, what more do you need to dance, jive and have the time of your life?
The unashamedly silly story celebrates mothers and daughters, old friends and new family. Independent single mother Donna Sheridan is preparing for her daughter’s wedding, with the help of two lifelong friends from her days as lead singer of 1970s pop group Donna and the Dynamos. Bride-to-be Sophie is dreaming of a perfect white wedding – one that includes her father giving her away at the altar. The problem? She has no idea who he is.
Sophie has therefore taken matters into her own hands and secretly added three men from Donna’s past to the guest list. All in the hope of finally meeting the father she has never known and having him walk her down the aisle on her big day.
When the three potential dads turn up, Donna is confused and wants them to leave, but Sophie begs them to stay. Audiences can expect to enjoy feel-good fun as new love blooms, old romances are rekindled and many songs are sung!
Mamma Mia! premiered in London’s West End, at the Prince Edward Theatre, on 6 April 1999. To date, this super trouper of a show has been seen by over 65 million people worldwide, in 50 productions and 16 different languages. And it has been turned into two record-breaking films: Mamma Mia! The Movie, in 2008, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, in 2018.
This new touring production stars Sara Poyzer as Donna Sheridan, alongside Nicky Swift and Helen Anker as Donna’s old friends, Rosie and Tanya. Jena Pandya is Sophie Sheridan and the three possible dads are played by Richard Standing (Sam Carmichael), Phil Corbitt (Bill Austin) and Daniel Crowder (Harry Bright).
The cast also includes Toby Miles (Sky), Jasmine Shen (Ali), Mariella Mazzilli (Lisa), James Willoughby Moore (Pepper), Corey Mitchell (Eddie) and Sarah Harlington (Alternate Donna Sheridan).
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 and sound design by Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken. Musical supervision, additional material and arrangements are by Martin Koch, while the music and lyrics themselves are, of course, supplied by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.
*Production photography by Brinkhoff/Mögenburg.
Mamma Mia! is at Milton Keynes Theatre from Tuesday 2 to Saturday 6 August 2022. The UK tour continues until 15 April 2023.
This preview is also featured on Total MK.
Update 3 August 2022: Read my review of Mamma Mia! at Milton Keynes Theatre.
Georgina Butler is an editor, a dance writer and a ballet teacher.
