A lovable cast, beautiful singing, great choreography and one Abba hit after another - what is there not to like about this touring version of Mamma Mia!? Based on music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of the Swedish band, this 1999 feel-good musical, which debuted in this city a decade ago, was always going to be a crowd-pleaser but the infectious energy and charm added sparkle to the production.
The story itself is simple: Sophie is getting married and she wants her father to give her away at the altar; the only problem is she doesn't know who dad is. But after reading her mother Donna's old diary, she finds there are three possibilities - Harry, Bill and Sam - so she decides to invite them all to her wedding on a Greek island. Comedy ensues.
The British cast didn't disappoint. The stage lit up every time Geraldine Fitzgerald and Sue Devaney (playing Donna's best friends Tanya and Rosie, respectively) came on. Their portrayals were fun without being over the top. Sara Poyzer was more restrained as the caring mother and her rendition of Slipping Through My Fingers on her daughter's big day was so touching there was an audible sniffle in the audience after the number.
Richard Standing, Keiron Crook and Michael Beckley (Sam, Harry and Bill) were solid in their supporting roles; Crook's Our Last Summer was memorable. All the Abba songs gelled better with the story in the second act. The unstable sound system meant some of the singing wasn't audible in Act One. Niamh Perry, as Sophie, (above centre with Jasmin Colangelo and Sally Frith, who play friends Lisa and Ali) rose above the technical glitch and delivered her numbers with lyricism and sweetness.