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MAMMA MIA! 25th anniversary | London, Novello Theatre

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On Saturday 6 April 2024, the original production of MAMMA MIA! celebrated its 25th anniversary, making it only the third musical in the history of the West End, to reach its Silver Jubilee.

Since premiering in London’s West End in 1999, the exhilarating smash-hit has become a global phenomenon, with a staggering 70 million people having seen it worldwide.

There was quite a celebration on Saturday night. On stage at the Novello Theatre, the cast were joined by Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA, Judy Craymer (creator and producer), Catherine Johnson (book writer), Anthony van Laast (choreographer), as well as original cast members Siobhan McCarthy (original Donna) and Lisa Stokke (original Sophie).

The party continued afterwards at the Palm Court in the Waldorf Hilton.

Playing at the Novello Theatre in London, 8 shows a week.

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THE WIDER EARTH | London, Natural History Museum

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In an exciting collaboration, the National History Museum will be hosting The Wider Earth, an award-winning drama about 22-year old Charles Darwin’s voyage across the globe. Fronted by six young actors bubbling with enthusiasm, the show will bring originality, energy and fun to the story of Darwin’s five-year expedition on HMS Beagle.

The production will be fast-paced and colorful, combining an original score (Lior and Tony Buchen) with live drawings (Justin Harrison) projected on a concave backdrop. The centrepiece is a revolving set (David Morton, Aaron Barton) that offers a deconstructed version of rich wood-paneled HMS Beagle, offering unexpected vistas and angles.

The production, set in the beautiful Jerwood Gallery, will be framed with stone arches and a vaulted ceiling. Seating 357 people, this sparse and elegant space will provide a uniquely immersive experience for the audience. They’ll also pass by the Darwin Centre on their way to the show, to get them in the mood.

The play’s most charming attraction may well be its thirty puppets of iguanas, armadillos and other creatures, conceived by the Dead Puppets Society. These wooden cutouts move just like real animals; the actors operate them as feral extensions of their own bodies. Seeing it all come to life was magical, and enough to warrant this reviewer buying a ticket for opening night. Don’t miss it.

The Wider Earth runs from 2 October to 30 December 2018.

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