On a cold, rainy evening, MAMMA MIA! blew a warm Greek breeze through New Theatre Oxford and sent the whole house out grinning. This UK tour stop is unapologetically feel-good: bright, cheeky and big-hearted, with precision vocals and choreography that land the ABBA hits exactly where you want them.
Need to know for Oxford
- Run: Tue 25 Nov – Sat 6 Dec 2025
- Venue: New Theatre Oxford
- Running time: 2h 35m (incl. interval)
- Tickets from: £19.50 (plus a £3.95 transaction fee per booking)
- Age guidance: 5+; contains flashing lights
- Booking: atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford/
The vibe
From the overture to the mega-mix curtain call, this show is pure party. The band punch out those classic hooks, the ensemble dance like they mean it, and the production whips along with sunny, sitcom snap. It’s the familiar story — a mother, a daughter, three possible dads and a wedding — but the comic timing and tight staging keep it lively and fresh.
Standout performances
- Lydia Hunt (Sophie — Oxfordshire’s own) brings a clear, bright vocal and a grounded warmth; her scenes with Jenn Griffin’s Donna really land emotionally.
- Jenn Griffin anchors the evening with heart and heft — the big ballads soar.
- Sarah Earnshaw (Tanya) and Rosie Glossop (Rosie) steal scenes with razor-sharp comedy.
- Among the dads, Luke Jasztal (Sam), Richard Meek (Harry) and Mark Goldthorp (Bill) are neatly contrasted and genuinely charming.
- Support from Joe Grundy (Sky), Bibi Jay (Ali), Eve Parsons (Lisa), Joseph Vella (Pepper), Ethan Casey-Clothier (Eddie), William Hazell (Father Alexander) and a hard-working ensemble keeps the island buzzing.
(Cast as at the performance we attended.)
Numbers that land
You’ll get what you came for: “Dancing Queen”, “Voulez-Vous”, “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”, “The Winner Takes It All”, all delivered with pep, polish and the wink of innuendo the show trades in. The finale mega-mix is irresistible; most of the stalls were on their feet within seconds.
Future Oxford performances & prices
(“From” prices can change — check the venue page for live availability.)
| Date | Day | Time(s) | From price* |
| 28 Nov | Fri | 19:30 | £24.50 |
| 29 Nov | Sat | 14:30 • 19:30 | £45.00 • £34.50 |
| 30 Nov | Sun | 14:30 | £47.00 |
| 1 Dec | Mon | — | No performance |
| 2 Dec | Tue | 19:30 | £25.00 |
| 3 Dec | Wed | 19:30 | £19.50 |
| 4 Dec | Thu | 14:30 • 19:30 | £19.50 • £19.50 |
| 5 Dec | Fri | 19:30 | £24.50 |
| 6 Dec | Sat | 14:30 • 19:30 | £58.00 • £52.50 |
*Plus a £3.95 transaction fee per booking.
Book: atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford/
Credits
- Book: Catherine Johnson
- Music & Lyrics: Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus
- Original Director: Phyllida Lloyd
- Choreography: Anthony Van Laast
- Set/Costume: Mark Thompson
- Lighting: Howard Harrison
- Sound: Andrew Bruce & Bobby Aitken
- Musical Supervision/Arrangements: Martin Koch
Side note: MAMMA MIA! has been seen by over 65 million people worldwide, and on this showing it’s easy to see why.
Tour diary note
Oxford lands early in the current UK tour, with the company continuing nationwide into 2026. If you miss this week, keep an eye on the tour schedule for nearby stops.
Verdict: A sparkling cast, properly funny book scenes and a band that knows exactly when to lean into the chorus.
★★★★★
Five stars – pure joy!
Main Image note: previous UK tour cast) Photo: Brinkhoff-Mögenburg.
MAMMA MIA! UK & Ireland Tour Dates (2025–2027)
| City | Venue | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Oxford | New Theatre Oxford | 25 Nov – 6 Dec 2025 |
| Edinburgh | Edinburgh Playhouse | 9 Dec 2025 – 4 Jan 2026 |
| Swansea | Swansea Arena (Swansea Building Society Arena) | 13 – 24 Jan 2026 |
| Aberdeen | His Majesty’s Theatre | 27 Jan – 7 Feb 2026 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | Newcastle Theatre Royal | 11 – 28 Feb 2026 |
| Manchester | Palace Theatre | 3 – 21 Mar 2026 |
| Leicester | Curve | 24 – 29 Mar 2026 |
| Hull | Hull New Theatre | 7 – 18 Apr 2026 |
| Llandudno | Venue Cymru | 21 – 25 Apr 2026 |
| Blackpool | Opera House | 28 Apr – 3 May 2026 |
| Birmingham | Hippodrome | 12 – 30 May 2026 |
| Truro | Hall for Cornwall | 2 – 13 Jun 2026 |
| Leeds | Grand Theatre | 16 – 27 Jun 2026 |
| Norwich | Theatre Royal | 30 Jun – 11 Jul 2026 |
| Eastbourne | Congress Theatre | 14 – 19 Jul 2026 |
| Bournemouth | Pavilion | 28 Jul – 2 Aug 2026 |
| Glasgow | King’s Theatre | 13 – 29 Aug 2026 |
| Belfast | The SSE Arena | 9 – 12 Sep 2026 |
| Sheffield | Lyceum Theatre | 15 – 26 Sep 2026 |
| Nottingham | Royal Concert Hall | 29 Sep – 10 Oct 2026 |
| Milton Keynes | Milton Keynes Theatre | 13 – 24 Oct 2026 |
| Wolverhampton | Grand Theatre | 27 Oct – 7 Nov 2026 |
| Bradford | Alhambra Theatre | 10 – 21 Nov 2026 |
| Cardiff | Wales Millennium Centre | 30 Nov – 5 Dec 2026 |
| Liverpool | Empire Theatre | 8 Dec 2026 – 3 Jan 2027 |
| Plymouth | Theatre Royal Plymouth | 12 – 30 Jan 2027 |
Dates subject to change; check each venue website before booking.
