By Brian Beacom

THEATRE fans in Glasgow this Christmas are set to enjoy a hot Mediterranean atmosphere as hit musical Mamma Mia! comes to town.

The show runs at the Theatre Royal over the festive period as part of the musical’s first ever UK tour.

With songs by Abba, Mamma Mia! has proved to be one of theatre’s most enduring – and endearing - success stories, running for over 17 years.

And it’s no real surprise. The music of the Swedish legends, with classics such as Dancing Queen and Winner Takes It All, is woven into a funny/clever storyline.

Mamma Mia tells of young bride-to-be Sophie’s attempt to invite her father to her wedding.

But first Sophie has to work out which one of her mum’s three boyfriends is the daddy.

Producer Judy Craymer’s idea of staging Abba’s timeless songs with a tale of family and friendship set on a Greek island paradise has been a worldwide winner.

To date, it has been seen by more than 60 million people in 50 productions in 16 different languages.

Mamma Mia! The Movie, starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, is the highest worldwide grossing live-action musical film of all time.

But it didn’t look as if the Abba songs musical would ever make it to the stage.

The band’s songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus remained trepidatious for years about seeing their music placed in a musical theatre context.

Judy Craymer took ten years to convince the pair she had the right vehicle. During that time the producer had to remortgage her flat to give her time to develop the project.

But she persisted, Benny and Bjorn came to love her idea, and at the last count the lady was said to be worth £90m.

“I knew those songs had a theatricality, and my dream was to make musical theatre,” says the producer.

“However, there were some buttock-clenching moments.”

A spokesperson for the Theatre Royal said the production will hit all the right notes during the next festive season, following the sell-out success of 2015’s Jersey Boys and this year’s The Commitments.

Judy Craymer added: “With its sunny, feel-good story and the much-loved music of Abba, Mamma Mia! is the perfect winter warmer for all the family.”

• Mamma Mia!, the Theatre Royal, December 5 – 30. Tickets now on sale to theatre card holders and on general sale from January 27.