Join the cast of this long-standing, record-holding West End musical, and sing along to the huge catalogue of widely adored ABBA hits - from Dancing Queen to Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, Mamma Mia and more...
Skiddle Staff
Last updated: 22nd Feb 2021
Seen by over sixty-five million people worldwide, Mamma Mia! The Musical has become something of a global phenomenon - much like the four legendary Swede's who produced its still, popular-as-ever soundtrack.
Premiering on London's West End at the Prince Edward Theatre back in 1999, the smash hit ABBA musical has since toured across the globe multiple times, appearing on stage in more than four hundred major cities - from Singapore to Hong Kong, Utrecht, Antwerp, Moscow, Gothenburg, Oslo, Mexico City, Vegas, Toronto, Copenhagen, Sao Paolo, Aarhus, Rome, Milan and Buenos Aires to name a few - breaking records and scooping up numerous awards along the way.
It's the fifth longest-running musical in West End history, the ninth in Broadway musical history, where it ran for more than fourteen years, and is the record holder at the Novello Theatre in London for the highest ever weekly grossing stage production in the theatres one-hundred-and-sixteen year past. Come on, that's impressive.
For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past decade or so, and have never seen the on-screen adaptation of this classic sing-along marvel, the story follows the tale of a young bride-to-be on the run up to her wedding day.
Set on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi, Sophie Sheridan, the lead and soon to be wife of Sky Rymand, wishes for nothing more than to have her unknown father walk her down the aisle on her big day. In a desperate attempt to achieve her dream, she invites three of her fiercely independent mother’s ex-lovers, in a move that could either make or break her special day. The rest... well you'll just have to see for yourselves, won't you.
Heading back to the Novello Theatre in London this year, for what will undoubtedly be another record breaking run, Mamma Mia! The Musical is the ultimate, uplifting and heart-warming cure to these bleak and enduring times.
Packed full of ABBA's biggest, crowd rousing anthems - from the sensational 'Dancing Queen' to the fantastic spot light spectacular 'Super Trouper' - there's bound to be at least one track that will have even the most stubborn, sheepish, and perhaps slightly embarrassed closet ABBA fan up singing and dancing.
With this in mind, we thought we'd list some of our favourite ABBA songs that appear throughout the musical production. So, without further ado, here's Skiddle's top five...
5. Mamma Mia
One of ABBA's many countless classics and the title track of the musical production itself. An obvious choice to begin with perhaps, but no one, and we mean NO ONE, can deny the sudden surge and feeling of elation that comes over you, upon hearing that opening xylophone hook and catchy guitar solo. It's one of those songs that literally lures you to the dance floor.
4. Voulez-Vous
Maybe a slightly less apparent choice, Voulez-Vous is just a straight up, dam right funky, disco banger. We're big fans of the music in this one but even bigger fans of the hair and the shiny, shiny jumpsuits in the video.
3. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
That unmistakable flute... Do we really need to say much more? Covered by '80s synth-pop duo Erasure, and sampled by the likes of rapper Gucci Mane and the Queen of Pop - Madonna, this bona fide classic has influenced and conquered ear drums all over the world.
2. Money, Money, Money
One of the groups most famous, signature tracks, Money Money Money is another definitive ABBA record. The Follow up single to Dancing Queen, Money Money Money reached number three in the UK charts in 1976, but went to number one in Australia, Belgium, France, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Germany.
1. Dancing Queen
It's a fact that the lyrics to this song are universally known. Ok, ok... maybe not, but we'd put our money on you picking this one out when singing on the karaoke down local. Oh yes, you know it's true.
Number one on our list simply had to be Dancing Queen - there was no other. We can see you all now, stood in the aisles at the Novello Theatre, hands in the air, swaying from side to side in unison as you belt out the chorus... Ahhh the magic of musical theatre.
Find tickets for Mamma Mia! The Musical at the Novello Theatre, London here
Check out our extensive directory of musicals, plays and comedy shows, happening in theatres and venues across the UK in 2021 - here
Header image: Fromtheboxoffice.com / Mamma Mia! The Musical
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