Australians have had a long love affair with ABBA, so plenty of people will doubtless welcome the return of Mamma Mia!, which is taking to our stages for the fourth time.

The megahit jukebox musical was first seen in Australia in 2001, two years after its London premiere. In 2009, we saw a pared-back touring version of the original production, followed in 2017 by a new Australian production, directed by Gary Young, with a more economical set. This is a revival of the 2017 iteration.

Deona Zanotto, Elise McCann and Bianca Bruce in Mamma Mia!, Sydney, 2023. Photo © David Hooley

The name of the game is unashamedly the catchy, crowd-pleasing music, with writer Catherine Johnson creating a flimsy but sweet narrative into which she was able to fit 22 songs by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. For those who haven’t seen the musical before, half the joy comes from the fun of seeing the clever, witty way in which the numbers by the Swedish super troupers have been folded into the plot.

Set on a Greek island, Sophie (Sarah Krndija) is about to get married to Sky (Lewis Francis)...