Mamma Mia! releases West End cast and crew from contracts

The hit musical is set to remain closed for the foreseeable future as Covid-19 uncertainty continues.

The hit ABBA musical Mamma Mia! has confirmed to The Stage newspaper that it has released all of its West End cast and stage management from their contracts, in light of the continuing Covid-19 shutdown.

With continuing uncertainty of when West End venues will be able to reopen without social distancing measures in place and no update on timing expected until November, this move is the latest development as long-running shows prepare for continued disruption.

It has been reported that Mamma Mia! has not closed in the West End permanently, and plans to reopen at the Novello Theatre after social distancing guidelines have been removed.

Mamma Mia!, produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East, and ABBA songwriter Björn Ulvaeus, opened in the West End in May 1999, and celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.

In addition to being seen by over 65 million people around the world and spawning two hit films, Mamma Mia! is the seventh longest-running musical in West End history, and at the time of the West End shutdown was the third-longest currently running musical, beaten only by Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera.

The show has changed West End venues twice during its run, each time reducing its seating capacity. After opening at the 1700-seat Prince Edward Theatre, it moved to the Prince of Wales in 2004 (a reduction of 600 seats) and then to the Novello Theatre in 2012 (a further reduction of 100 seats).

In 2019, London also saw the opening of Mamma Mia! The Party, an immersive theatre-dining experience in a special venue at the O2 arena.