Cast News: Emmerdale Star Joins Mamma Mia! The Party

Cast News: Emmerdale Star Joins Mamma Mia! The Party

21-11-24

Björn Ulvaeus’ Mamma Mia! The Party has revealed that Ian Kelsey will join the cast from 5 February 2025 in the role of Nikos, taking over from Antony Costa who played his final performance on 15 November 2024. Fed Zanni (A View From The Bridge, Haymarket, West End), who originated the role in 2019, returns to the cast to play Nikos until 2 February.

A regular on television screens for many years, Ian’s extensive screen/TV work has seen him play the roles of Vinnie Ashford in Coronation Street (ITV), Howard Bellamy in Doctors (BBC), Jack Clayton in Where The Heart Is (ITV), Dr. Patrick Spiller in Casualty (BBC) and Dave Glover in Emmerdale (ITV). No stranger to theatre, Ian has played many iconic roles including Billy Flynn in Chicago (China Tour 2024 & 2019), Danny in Grease (Cambridge Theatre, West End), Ray Say in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (UK Tour), Professor Callahan in Legally Blonde (The Curve Leicester), and Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption (UK Tour).

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Speaking about joining the cast, Ian Kelsey said: “Mamma Mia! The Party is such a thrilling and unique experience, and I couldn’t be more excited to join the cast. When I first stepped into the space, I was taken aback by the authenticity of Nikos Taverna; the atmosphere was electric and like nothing I have ever experienced before. Being so close to the guests and reacting to whatever the crowd throw at me (hopefully not olives) is going to be great fun. I am really looking forward to starting rehearsals with Stacey [Haynes] and the team and bringing my own flair to Nikos who has recently been played so brilliantly by Antony Costa and now, Fed Zanni. I hope that it will be a reflection of what it is like to watch the show… a lot of fun.”

Kelsey joins the current cast which includes: Lucinda Lawrence as Kate, Rosemary Annabella Nkrumah as Debbie, Inês Fernandez as Konstantina, Henryk Firth as Adam, Oscar Balmaseda as Fernando, Georgia Morgan as Nina, Dawn Spence as Grandma, Allie Ho Chee (at certain performances) and Rosie Rowlands (at certain performances) as Bella, Kelly Aaron as Sue/Swing, Emanuel Alba as Carlos/Swing, Claudia Bradley as Loretta/Swing, Deschenes Graham as Joyce/Swing, Robban Hogstrom as Robin/Swing and Ollie Llewelyn-Williams as Ruben/Swing along with the musicians John Donovan, Luke Higgins, Luke Roberts, Steve Rushton and Flo Blue.

2024 marked the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s legendary winning performance of Waterloo at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest and a trip to Nikos Taverna on the Greek Island of Skopelos (via The O2, London) is the perfect way to celebrate this milestone. Originating in Stockholm in 2016, Mamma Mia! The Party celebrated its fifth anniversary in London this year. Since opening at The O2, London in 2019, the critically acclaimed experience has welcomed over 500,000 guests from 110 countries.

Created by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, with the English book by Sandi Toksvig, Mamma Mia! The Party is London’s premier theatrical dining experience, bringing ABBA’s hits to life more vividly than ever before. As the sun sets in Skopelos, guests take their seats at Nikos’ family-run taverna where they enjoy a delicious four-course Greek feast whilst a romantic and heartwarming story unfolds all around them. Following the performance, which is filled with timeless ABBA anthems such as Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen and Waterloo, guests are encouraged to sing and dance the night away at a glittering ABBA disco.

Get more details from the official site HERE.