REVIEW: Mamma Mia! opening night at the Brighton Centre brings summer smiles to sold-out audience

Mamma Mia! is showing at the Brighton Centre until Sunday, August 21.

Mamma Mia! returned to Brighton this week and my, my, just how much we've missed the fantastic feel-good musical.

I was there five years ago when the smash-hit West End show went on tour and stopped off in Brighton. My daughter Ruby was only four at the time but had watched the film several times and came along to see the live theatre experience. She absolutely loved it.

Now aged nine, Ruby joined me once again on Tuesday this week to see the opening night of a six-day run of Mamma Mia! at the Brighton Centre. Dressing the part in her blue maxi dress and with her programme in hand, Ruby was ready to be transported back to the Greek island where young Sophie was getting married.

It wasn't long before the wonderful ABBA music we all know started with Jena Pandya as Sophie kicking off the story with a few lines of I Have a Dream and then bursting into Honey, Honey while reading her mother Donna's diary to her two friends.

The scene was set. Sophie had invited her three possible dads to the island for her wedding without her mum knowing!

Cue the arrival of the three very different dad contenders - Harry, Bill and Sam - then mix with mum Donna's hilarious former band-mates Rosie and Tanya. Now, throw in a few dilemmas, some very amusing moments and, of course, lots of singing and dancing along the way and you have the perfect summer cocktail that is Mamma Mia!

The set is basic but it does not matter because the exhilarating sense of fun and happiness the music and the story brings captures your full attention.

The cast seemed to grow in confidence as the story progressed and with singing voices so key to their parts, they were hitting all the right notes.

Jena Pandya as Sophie and Toby Miles as Sky played the young lovebirds perfectly and were often in their own little world as the chaos happened around them.

Sara Poyzer as Donna really stood out for me. Her singing was spellbinding and she really took us on Donna's journey. As Donna, she had us laughing as she reminisced with Harry, had us crying when she sang Slipping Through My Fingers as she helped Sophie prepare for her wedding, and had us feeling her gut-wrenching hurt as she belted out The Winner Takes it All to Sam.

Nicky Swift (Rosie) and Helen Anker (Tanya) were both very high-spirited and I loved their rendition of Chiquitita and when they recreated Donna and The Dynamos.

The dads, Richard Standing (Sam Carmichael), Phil Corbitt (Bill Austin), Daniel Crowder (Harry Bright) were all excellent, too, bringing three different but endearing personalities to the parts.

There's time at the end of the show for a couple more ABBA songs and this is when the audience really got whisked away, Ruby and I included. Ruby really enjoyed the whole show and said she liked Jena Pandya as Sophie the best.

After the lockdown put a halt to lots of theatre trips and holidays, Mamma Mia! provides a perfect combination. A fantastic feel-good night at the theatre, bursting with holiday vibes and bringing lots of summer smiles.

Tickets are still available for Mamma Mia! at the Brighton Centre this week. Visit brightoncentre.co.uk

REVIEW By Nicola Caines