MAMMA MIA! is now the third longest running West End musical of all time. So, we went along to see why this show has become such a global phenomenon, with a staggering 70 million people having seen it worldwide. The musical tells the story of Sophie, a young woman, living on a Greek island, who is about to get married. She wants her father to walk her down the aisle. But she doesn't know who he is. After finding her mother Donna's old diary, she secretly invites three of her mum's former lovers to the ceremony, hoping one of them is her father. Donna is stunned when Harry, Sam, and Bill arrive, forcing her to confront her past. Luckily, she's got her old pals Rosie and Tanya there for support. The musical is built around ABBA songs, and cleverly tells the story through more than 20 of the Swedish pop group's greatest hits. It's an upbeat, fun, feel-good show, that'll have you itching to sing along.
I went to see the show at the beautiful Novello Theatre in London's West End, with my 10-year-old son, Odhran. He's at that age where classmates are talking about crushes, and I wasn't wrong in sensing that he'd enjoy the romantic drama in this musical. The themes of identity, romantic love, and friendship, are universal, and appeal to an audience of all ages. There's some innuendo but nothing explicit, and sat next to me in the dress circle, Odhran turned to flash me a cheeky grin when he understood what was being implied in these moments.
The stage set was minimal, leaving space for the performances and costumes to shine. The singing was fantastic and there were some laugh-out-loud moments, especially in scenes between Donna, Rosie and Tanya. Odhran was in stitches during the scene where the younger man, Pepper, is lusting after Tanya, which of course leads into the hit song Does Your Mother Know.
At the end, the audience was encouraged to get on their feet for a sing and dance along with the cast to Waterloo, Mamma Mia and Dancing Queen. It was the perfect way to finish the show, and everyone left with a smile on their face.
'I really got into it,' Odhran said. 'I loved the music, the story, and the atmosphere. I didn't know many ABBA songs before, but I'm definitely a fan now!'
If you're looking for a show to take a tween or teen to see this October half-term, then unleash your inner Dancing Queen and grab tickets for MAMMA MIA!
Venue: Novello Theatre, Aldwych, London, WC2B 4LD
Run time: 2hrs 35mins (including 15-minute interval)
Price: Tickets cost from £15 (there's an additional booking fee). It's currently booking until 26 September 2026.