Mamma Mia! extends run by six months

Published Friday 25 February 2005 at 16:45

Mamma Mia! will extend its run at the Prince of Wales Theatre by a further six months and has announced its seventh London cast.

The Abba musical will now play until April 2006, with tickets for the new booking period on sale from March 14. The change in cast, which will take place on March 7, will see Sophia Ragavelas taking the lead role of Sophie Sheridan.

With music and lyrics by Abba’s Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, the show is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. It is produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East and Bjorn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal.

• Chicago has also announced cast changes and an extension to its booking period at the Adelphi Theatre.

From February 28, Anna Montanaro will return to star as Velma Kelly and Zee Asha will also reprise her role as Mama Morton, while Robert Hands will take over the role of Amos Hart. Jill Halfpenny and Michael French will continue to star as Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn.

The booking period will now be extended until December 3.

• Stephanie Cole will take over the role of eccentric medium Madame Arcati for the final eight weeks of Blithe Spirit’s run at the Savoy Theatre.

Noel Coward’s play, also featuring Aden Gillett, Joanna Riding and Amanda Drew, is directed by Thea Sharrock and is booking until May 28. Cole will appear from April 4.

• Jane Birkin, the actress best known for her contribution to Serge Gainsbourg’s Je T’aime, will make a rare UK stage appearance in the Royal and Derngate Theatres’ production of Hamlet.

Birkin will play Gertrude alongside Tobias Menzies’ Hamlet from March 17 to April 3 at the Northampton-based theatre. It will be directed by Rupert Goold and will be the venue’s final production before it closes for a 14 month redevelopment programme.

• Earl Carpenter will star as The Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre from February 28.

Rachel Barrel and Oliver Thornton will continue to appear as Christine and Raoul, while Heidi O’Brien will take over the role of Meg from March 7. The West End production will celebrate 18 years in London on October 9.