Mamma Mia! turns 25

Mamma Mia! turns 25

06-04-24

Today – Saturday 6 April 2024 – the original production of Mamma Mia! celebrates its 25th anniversary, making it only the third musical in the history of the West End, to reach its Silver Jubilee. It’s also fifty years to the day since ABBA celebrated their Eurovision win!

It’s slightly dizzying and deeply humbling to think that millions of you who saw us for the first time in the Eurovision final 1974 have passed our music on not only to one generation, but to several. We see evidence of that every time one of us visits ABBA Voyage in London and it’s because of this we can celebrate the 50th Anniversary of that event in the knowledge that our songs still resonate around the world.

It’s difficult to comprehend that 50 years have gone by since the four of us waited backstage for the verdicts of all the juries around Europe at the Dome in Brighton. So what were our dreams during those suspenseful moments or in the chaos in the aftermath of the victory we had secured with the smallest margin in Eurovision history? Four different dreams, no doubt, but whatever they were, however grand, reality has surpassed them, that’s for sure.

Many of you were there from the very start and have followed us ever since – for over half a century! Music you discover and learn to love when you grow up or even later in life has a way of staying with you forever. We share that experience with you and to know that our music has become a constant in your lives is a wonderful thing.

Throughout the years we have been blessed with the outpouring of love from you, our fans. We feel it and we want you to know that hardly a day goes by when we’re not reminded of it. To say thank you for what you’re giving us without sounding trivial is not easy and this is not a moment for triviality. It is a happy and at the same time solemn moment and we can only hope that you understand how deeply grateful we are for a long, successful career and for your steadfast loyalty and support through the years. Thank you!

/ Agnetha, Björn, Benny, Anni-Frid

Since premiering in London’s West End in 1999, the exhilarating smash-hit has become a global phenomenon, with a staggering 70 million people having seen it worldwide.

The sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island idyll, all unfolding to the magic of ABBA’s timeless pop masterpieces, has been seen in over 50 productions in 16 different languages grossing more than $4 billion at the box office and turned into two record-breaking movies – Mamma Mia! The Movie and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

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Mamma Mia! originally opened in London at the Prince Edward Theatre on 6 April 1999, before transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004, and then to the Novello Theatre in 2012. The London production of Mamma Mia! has been seen by over 10 million people, played over 9,300 performances and has broken box office records in all three of its London homes and last month set a new record for the highest ever weekly gross in the musical’s history.

Mamma Mia! continues to have great success around the world, with the current UK & International Tour and the North American Tour both selling out.

Judy Craymer, creator and producer of Mamma Mia!, said of this landmark anniversary, “The success of Mamma Mia! is extraordinary and a joyous occasion to celebrate. The West End production is still the global flagship and it’s wonderful to be able to acknowledge such a momentous anniversary with our incredible casts and crews, our original creative team, and all the fabulous audiences we’ve had in London over the past quarter of a century. Back when we opened on 6 April 1999, we never dreamt that in 2024 we’d be celebrating our 25th Birthday on the very same day ABBA mark 50 years since their Eurovision win. It’s simply magnificent that Mamma Mia! continues to be loved and to resonate with audiences today. Here’s to many more years!”
The London production stars Mazz Murray as Donna, Kate Graham as Tanya, Nicola-Dawn Brook as Rosie, Haydn Oakley as Sam, Christopher Dickins as Harry, Stephen Beckett as Bill, Stevie Doc as Sophie, Tobias Turley as Sky, Jessie Odeleye as Ali, Olivia Brookes as Lisa, Chay Wills as Eddie and Arcangelo Ciulla as Pepper, with Natalie Langston playing Donna at certain performances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuarBFN2brU

Also in the cast are Aaron Archer, Amy Barker, Matthew Barrow, John-Paul Birss, Daniel J Brian, Sinéad Courtney, Izzy Cross, Ellis Dackombe, Lauren Dawes, Léa Desjacques, Lawrence Guntert, Samantha Ivey, Jennie Jacobs, Luke Jasztal, Nicole Lupino, Flyn Mullins, Hayley-Jo Murphy, Bradley Perret, Jacob Ritzema and Ella Tweed.

As part of the 25th year celebrations, Judy Craymer was Executive Producer of ITV’s Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream, which searched for new young talent to join the stage musical. Host Zoe Ball revealed Stevie Doc and Tobias Turley as the worthy winners and this year they joined the London production in the roles of Sophie and Sky.

Produced by Judy Craymer, Mamma Mia! The Movie became the highest grossing live action musical film of all time upon its release in 2008. A second film, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, opened in July 2018 and is the most successful live musical movie sequel of all time. Both films starred Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stella Skarsgård, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper, with Lily James, Andy Garcia and Cher joining them in the second film.

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.

Mamma Mia! is produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East & Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal.

Get more details from the official site HERE