Big Interview: Sanne den Besten, starring as Sophie in Mamma Mia!

Sanne den Besten is currently starring as Sophie Sheridan in the West End production of Mamma Mia!, having taken over the role in June this year. 

Last year Sanne, who is from Holland, made her West End debut as understudy Fantine in Les Miserables (Queens Theatre). 

Her credits also include: understudy Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Dutch tour), The Humans (New York, Rotterdam and the Festival D’Avignon) and alternate Maria Von Trapp in The Sound of Music (Dutch tour). 

Mamma Mia! opened in the West End in 1999 and recently celebrated its 17th birthday. The Abba musical is currently booking at the Novello Theatre to 4th March 2017.

I recently spoke to Sanne about life in Mamma Mia!, what it was like to go from the West End’s heaviest musical to the West End’s sunniest musical and her journey from Holland to the West End…

Are you feeling settled into life in Mamma Mia!?

Yes, we’re up and running and everybody has settled in. Now we’re able to have more and more fun with it. It has been really good!

Mamma Mia extends booking to April 2015 & celebrates 15th birthday

The West End production of Mamma Mia has extended its booking period at the Novello Theatre until Saturday 25th April 2015. The musical celebrates its 15th birthday in London on Sunday (6th April).

Kim Ismay, Dianne Pilkington & Jane Milligan

As we previously revealed, Abba's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, who have rarely performed together since Abba disbanded in 1982, will join the cast of Mamma Mia in a musical finale at this year's Olivier Awards. This historic performance will be televised as part of the highlights show, being broadcast on ITV at 22:15 on Sunday 13th April.

Interview: Oliver Tilney, currently playing Sky in Mamma Mia

Oliver Tilney graduated from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2012 and went on to make his West End debut as Sky in Mamma Mia at the Novello Theatre in June 2013 as part of the show’s biggest ever cast change. Last August Oliver was nominated for West End Frame’s Best West End Debut Award, finishing third place.

His theatre credits include: Banquo in Macbeth directed by Paul Warwick (China Plate Theatre, UK tour), Captain Phoebus in The Hunchback of Notre Dame directed by David Calvitto (Selby Abbey, Belt-Up Theatre), Oliver in Some Small Love Story directed by Joseph Hufton (Flanagan Collective, South Hill Park) and The Improvised Musical at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Oliver’s film credits include: Sam in The Lake directed by Sukhdeep Krishan, Andrew in Brothers in Arms directed by Pekka Saari and Francis in Francis directed by Philip Crawford. He also stars in the international 'swap' commercial for Coke Zero. 

Mamma Mia has been seen by more than 54 million people in 38 productions in 14 different languages grossing more than $2 billion at the box office. The West End production has now been seen by more than 1 in 10 of the entire UK population. Mamma Mia is one of only five musicals to have run for more than 10 years both on Broadway and in the West End.

Oliver chats to West End Frame about life in Mamma Mia, having his first dance lesson at the age of 23 and how he deals with hen parties asking him to take off his clothes at the stage door…

How is life in Mamma Mia?

Great! It’s going really quickly, I’ve never done anything for this length of time before.

How have you found that? Is it hard keeping your performance fresh eight shows a week?

That hasn’t really been a problem yet, which has surprised me because I thought it would be tough. In a West End show there are so many people involved and so many understudies so from night to night there could be six or seven different people performing on stage which keeps you guessing! You can always find new things. If you’re not quite happy with something you get plenty more opportunities to get it right!

Review: Mamma Mia at the Novello Theatre

Mamma Mia

Novello Theatre

Reviewed Friday 10th January 2014

Mamma Mia is quite simply one of the most underrated shows in the West End. Jukebox musicals are sometimes pushed aside, but as Mamma Mia prepares to celebrate its fifteenth anniversary it remains smooth, slick and hugely uplifting.

Review: Mamma Mia! at the Novello Theatre (5 stars)

Mamma Mia!

Novello Theatre

Reviewed on Thursday 4th January 2013 (Evening Performance)

"Inspired by ABBA, Mamma Mia is an enchanting tale of family and friendship, set on a Greek Island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past to the island they last visited 20 years ago…"

With a talented cast, a light hearted story and great music, Mamma Mia! is the ultimate feel good musical. While sometimes jukebox musicals can lack depth and meaning, Mamma Mia actually has some moments which can arguably be described as heart-warming and endearing. One of the main reasons Mamma Mia has been (and still is) so successful is because there really is something for everyone.

Book of Mormon to open in the West End February 2013!

So it has been announced that the hugely popular Broadway show The Book Of Mormon, created by South Park's Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Avenue Q's Robert Lopez, will open in the West End on 25th February 2013! The new musical will open at the Prince of Wales Theatre where Mamma Mia is currently showing. Mamma Mia will play it's final performance at the theatre on on 1st September 2012 before moving to the Novello Theatre where performances will resume from 6th September. The Beatles Musical Let It Be will also have a short run at the Prince of Wales theatre from 24th September 2012 to 19th January 2013 with previews beginning on the 14th September 2012.

The Book Of Mormon centres on two young Mormon missionaries dispatched to convert an African village and satirises everything from religion to The Lion King. The Book of Mormon opened at Broadway's Eugene O'Neill Theatre on 24 March 2011 (previews from 24 February) and remains one of New York's hardest to get tickets. The show won nine Tony Awards last year, including Best Musical.

Fans can book tickets for previews via http://www.bookofmormonlondon.com/. I cannot wait for this show to open! I have the soundtrack which is hilarious and I will be reviewing it soon for the blog.