Is Mamma Mia! really not a jukebox musical?

TheatreVillage February 7, 2026 3 minutes read

“I don’t consider Mamma Mia! a jukebox musical,” says producer Judy Craymer — a statement that feels quietly provocative for a show built almost entirely from the back catalogue of ABBA.

For many audiences, Mamma Mia! is the jukebox musical: sunny Greek islands, platform boots, and a playlist of songs so familiar they arrive pre-loaded with memories. But nearly three decades on from its West End debut, Craymer’s insistence raises an interesting question — what actually defines a jukebox musical, and why has Mamma Mia! managed to outgrow the label?

At the heart of Craymer’s argument is story. Rather than stitching ABBA hits around an existing narrative or using songs as nostalgic signposts, Mamma Mia! was built from the ground up as a character-led piece. Writer Catherine Johnson’s decision to centre the show on a mother-daughter relationship gave it emotional ballast — a domestic, female-led story with clear stakes, rather than a greatest-hits revue in disguise.

That distinction matters. In many jukebox musicals, songs stop the story to remind audiences what they already love. In Mamma Mia!, the songs are the storytelling language. Lyrics written decades earlier take on new meanings when placed in the mouths of Donna, Sophie and the Dynamos, reframing pop anthems as expressions of regret, longing, joy and fierce maternal love.

Craymer also points to the show’s cultural footprint as evidence of its originality. In New York, Mamma Mia! became an unlikely source of comfort after 9/11, drawing audiences back into theatres when escapism felt necessary rather than indulgent. It played a similar role in the UK following the Covid shutdowns — not just entertaining, but offering what Craymer describes as something “almost therapeutic”.

That ability to respond to moments of collective uncertainty suggests a show doing more than recycling familiar tunes. Its longevity hasn’t relied on irony or reinvention, but on emotional accessibility — the sense that, beneath the glitter, there’s a recognisable human story about family, choice and the fear of letting go.

Of course, labels still matter. Mamma Mia! uses pre-existing songs; it invites singalongs; it trades unapologetically on joy. But perhaps its success lies in occupying a space between categories — a musical that uses pop music not as nostalgia bait, but as narrative architecture.

As the show returns on tour, the question feels newly relevant. Is Mamma Mia! a jukebox musical? Or is it something rarer — an original piece of musical theatre that just happens to speak fluent ABBA?

If nothing else, Craymer’s refusal to accept the label reminds us that sometimes the most familiar shows are the ones we’ve never quite looked at closely enough.

MAMMA MIA! plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Wed 11 – Sat 28 Feb 2026. Tickets can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 0191 232 7010.