Mamma Mia! MetroRadio Arena, Newcastle (From The Northern Echo)

Mamma Mia! MetroRadio Arena, Newcastle

10:37am Tuesday 15th December 2009

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ARMED with some of the world’s best-known songs and floating on an alcohol-fuelled “girls’ night out”

atmosphere, the only surprise is that this arena version sticks to the West End’s slowburn start.

As a result, 3,000 people – with at least 1,500 unable to make out her face – are desperately trying to focus on the tiny Maria Parvin as about-tomarry Sophie Sheridan croons I Have A Dream.

Where’s the big production song and dance number which should get the audience clapping along from the start?

It’s not like Abba’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson haven’t got the songs to spare.

Once we adjust to the plummy-mummy accent of Jackie Clune as Donna Sheridan – the Greek ex-pat who has her three ex-lovers inflicted on her because Sophie is desperate to find her real father – the beautifully-crafted charm of producer Judy Craymer’s plot gradually works its magic. Even so, Sheridan’s best number comes deep in the second half, with a lung-busting version of The Winner Takes It All.

It takes a while for the three potential dads – today’s triangle of stereotype choices being the divorced one, the Indiana Jones one and the gay one – to introduce themselves.

Cameron Blakely takes most of the flak from Donna. Matthew Cammelle is closet-gay Harry and Charles Daish is gruff Scot Bill.

Kate Graham uses her Tyneside roots to drop in some Geordie accent as the manytimes- married Tanya while forming a nice double-act with Leanne Rogers as the singleton Rosie, who develops the hots for Bill.

Sunderland’s Gary Watson, sounding very much like a stage version of TV architect George Clarke, drops easily into the role of supposed bridegroom, while Parvin delivers a frantic-looking Sophie, who has plenty to do in this stage production.

The arena’s decision to run this production over four weeks has been a masterstroke and, ten years after trying the same experiment with Les Miserables, it has created the best theatre experience that’s possible using bucket seats.

Mind you, fur-trimmed opera glasses might be next year’s essential show accessory.

■ Runs until January 17.

Tickets: £15 to £39.50. Box Office: 0844-493-6666 metroradioarena.co.uk

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