Mamma Mia! – Curve Leicester and Touring

Lydia Hunt and Jenn Griffin in Mamma Mia! at Curve Leicester and Touring. Picture: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg

Mamma Mia! was reviewed at Curve Leicester where it continues until 29 March 2026. The tour continues until 30 January 2027.

Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩

The enduring success of Mamma Mia! is undeniable. Few musicals can claim such sustained commercial dominance, with more than two decades in the West End, a lengthy Broadway run, spin-off films, and global box office figures that comfortably stretch into the billions. It is, by any measure, a phenomenon adored by millions and set to run forever. As the current UK tour arrives at Leicester’s Curve, it’s clear that audiences are still more than willing to trade the dreary UK weather for a sun-soaked slice of Greek island escapism.

As many of our readers will already know, the story follows Sophie (Lydia Hunt), a young bride-to-be determined to uncover the identity of the father she has never known. The chance discovery of a teenage diary belonging to her mother Donna (Jenn Griffin) reveals three possible candidates, prompting Sophie to invite them all to her wedding in secret. What unfolds is a neatly engineered premise for nostalgia, romance and revelation, underscored by the unmistakable catalogue of ABBA.

Musically, the show remains as irresistible as ever. The songwriting partnership of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus continues to do the heavy lifting, delivering melody after melody with effortless charm. These songs, already embedded in the cultural consciousness, ensure a baseline level of enjoyment that few jukebox musicals can rival.

Yet it’s also here that the show’s central tension lies: the strength of the score often compensates for a book that feels woefully undernourished. Conceived and produced by Judy Craymer, the show offers one of the weakest plotlines in the jukebox canon, possibly only surpassed by We Will Rock You.

Catherine Johnson’s script provides a functional framework rather than a fully realised narrative. Characterisation is broad, motivations are lightly sketched, and the plot itself rarely strives for complexity. Instead, the action is frequently engineered to merely usher in the next familiar hit, often at the expense of any dramatic cohesion. While this is hardly unusual within the jukebox genre, the thinness of Mamma Mia! will stretch the patience of anyone looking for more than just some excellent songs you already know.

Visually, the production remains largely unchanged since its late-1990s debut. Mark Thompson’s design evokes a stylised Greek setting, but its limited variation of two main white structures endlessly rotated back and forth gives a feeling of stale repetition over the course of the evening.

Company numbers inject welcome energy and personality, particularly in the show’s more exuberant moments where the talented ensemble really do become the real stars of this show, but quieter scenes often feel ‘delivered by numbers’, contributing to an Act II that begins to feel somewhat mechanical in its progression.

That said, there is certainly no shortage of crowd-pleasing highlights where once again it’s the music that saves the day. Numbers such as ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Does Your Mother Know’ and ‘The Winner Takes It All’ still land with impact, while the inevitable finale ensures audiences leave on a high.

Performances across the cast are decent rather than outstanding, but the book often leaves the actors with little to work with, particularly the male roles. Hunt however brings warmth and vocal clarity to Sophie, while Griffin delivers an emotionally grounded Donna, particularly in her standout rendition of the show’s most poignant ballad. Rosie Glossop and Sarah Earnshaw provide spirited support as Donna’s best mates, with the latter proving especially adept at scene-stealing comic timing.

Ultimately, Mamma Mia! occupies a curious space. It’s both an expertly packaged piece of escapism and a show that leans too heavily on the brilliance of its source material bringing nothing of its own merit. For many, that will be more than enough, an evening of familiar songs, lively performances and uncomplicated fun. But viewed through a more critical theatrical lens, it remains a work that never matches the depth or inventiveness of the music it celebrates, merely standing on its shoulders in platform boots.

Rob Bartley