You know you’re in for a good night when half the audience at the Norwich Theatre Royal is already buzzing before the curtain even goes up. After what feels like weeks of wonderful weather, stepping into the theatre for the opening night of Mamma Mia! felt like we were already on a sun-drenched Greek island.
The atmosphere around the theatre was absolutely electric. Looking around, there were multi-generational families, groups of friends out for a laugh, and a fair few people proudly sporting sequins and neon. It’s a testament to the timelessness of ABBA’s music that the crowd was such a brilliant, diverse mix of ages, all united by a craving for some serious feel-good energy.
From the second Lydia Hunt stepped out as Sophie, clutching her mother’s diary, she had the entire room in the palm of her hand. Her voice was beautiful and clear – absolutely nailing those opening notes of ‘I Have a Dream’. But for me, the real heart of the show is the dynamic between the three generation-defining dynamos: Donna, Tanya, and Rosie. Jenn Griffin’s performance as Donna was a masterclass in balancing comedy with raw emotion. When she belted out ‘The Winner Takes It All’ in the second act, you could have heard a pin drop. It was an incredible performance.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Mamma Mia! without the laughs, and Sarah Earnshaw (Tanya) and Rosie Glossop (Rosie) delivered them in spades. Tanya’s cheeky, energetic rendition of ‘Does Your Mother Know’ had the front rows in stitches, and Rosie’s frantic, hilarious pursuit of Bill during ‘Take a Chance on Me’ was easily one of the funniest parts of the show. The three potential dads – Sam, Harry, and Bill – had comedic chemistry, bounding off each other perfectly and leaning into all the ridiculousness of the plot.
What blew me away the most, though, was the sheer energy of the ensemble. The choreography in the bigger numbers like ‘Voulez-Vous’ and ‘Lay All Your Love on Me’ (complete with flippers!) was incredibly sharp, powerful, and flat-out fun. There was a big cast, however they were all brilliant and special mention for Joe Grundy who played Sky, who has a smile you can see at the back of the circle.
The clever, rotating set moved seamlessly from a rustic tavern to a moonlit beach in seconds, letting the music drive the show forward without a single clunky pause.
By the time the mega-mix finale came around, the Theatre Royal quite literally erupted. Nobody was sitting down. We were all up on our feet, singing at the top of our lungs, and dancing alongside the cast, who were decked out in the most wonderfully outrageous, ruffled, neon-shiny flare suits you’ve ever seen.
If you are looking for deep, high-brow drama, this isn’t it. But you know exactly what you are getting and it totally fulfils the brief: an absolute escape packed with joy, laughter, and songs that will stay stuck in your head for days. It is absolutely a fun night out!
Mamma Mia! Is at Norwich Theatre Royal until 11th July, for more information go here.
Photos copyright Brinkhoff-Moegenburg