Mamma Mia! How Does it Compare to the West End?

I was recently invited to the press night for Mamma Mia! by Deep Bridge in Belgium. Honestly, it felt like such a massive moment for Belgian theatre, bringing a show this iconic to our home country. It’s actually not the first time they’ve bring this story to life, but sadly, the previous run got canceled due to the pandemic. You could just feel the energy to finally get it back on stage.

Bringing a production of this scale to Belgium is a huge milestone. Let’s be real: our musical scene is often seen as the "little sibling" compared to the West End or the Netherlands. But Deep Bridge is clearly done playing small.

To be totally honest, I was a little hesitant at first. Because they have translated the songs to Dutch. But I’m so glad to say:
I was completely proven wrong. Their take on Mamma Mia! genuinely surprised me. It’s polished, high-energy, and honestly? Exactly what we needed.

The Tour: Belgium vs the West End

It’s so interesting how the Belgian landscape works compared to London. We don't have those year-long UK tours here. Instead, this production hits three big cities, Antwerp, Hasselt, and Ghent. While London does a steady 8 shows a week, the Belgian schedule is way more flexible, switching between 4 and 8 shows depending on the week. It’s a totally different vibe, but it works.

Does the Language Work?

We all know the story of Sophie and Donna on their little, cosy Greek island. But since this is a Flemish production, those iconic ABBA hits are in Dutch. I’ll admit, hearing these classics translated can feel a bit different at first, but it didn’t actually bother me. Sure, some translations are a bit "quirky" (classic Dutch!), but the energy stayed sky-high. Plus, they kept the big finale medley in the English, which was so nice because everyone could sing and dance along.