IT has all the makings of a brilliant night out – some of the best known and most-loved pop songs, fabulous flares, a love story and lots of laughter – and Mamma Mia certainly doesn’t disappoint.

And it wasn’t just the audience having a great time at opening night of the record breaking musical’s first ever UK tour in Bristol on Tuesday night, the cast were clearly having the time of their lives on stage too. So much so, we all wanted to jet off to the fictitious Greek island where ABBA’s catalogue of hits are recreated to tell the tale of free spirit Donna (Sara Poyzer) and the impending nuptials of her daughter Sophie (Lucy May Barker).

In Wotton-under-Edge’s famed scriptwriter Catherine Johnson’s story, bride-to-be Sophie reads her mum’s diary and discovers she has three possible dads; Bill (Christopher Hollis), Harry (Tim Walton) and Sam (Richard Standing). Unbeknown to hard-up taverna owner Donna, the unsuspecting potential dads are invited to the wedding and all of Donna’s secrets of her summer of free love 21 years ago soon unravel.

Reassurance comes in the hilarious form of Donna’s friends multi-millionaire husband magnet Tanya (Emma Clifford) and lonely Rosie (Jacqueline Braun) who put every ounce of energy into a now famous bedroom scene, using all imaginable props in their side-splitting version of Chiquitita.

There are more uproarious moments; particularly as Tanya gives as good as she gets in a dance off during Does Your Mother Know and the young groom Sky (Phillip Ryan) and his testosterone-fuelled stag party provide plenty of eye candy for those on a girls’ night out as well as energetic dance routines and witty quips.

Benny and Bjorn’s masterful lyrics also take us on a rollercoaster ride of emotion with Knowing Me, Knowing You, Our Last Summer and the beautiful mother-to-daughter monologue Slipping Through My Fingers culminating of course in the showstopping The Winner Takes It All, which Sara Poyzer nails with crescendoing power.

But there will always be plenty for the party-goers too; Super Trouper, Take a Chance on Me, Mamma Mia and Thank You for the Music not to mention the seventies-inspired encore of Waterloo and Dancing Queen in a good 10 minutes of pure ABBA pleasure.

Naturally there will be comparisons to the 2008 smash hit film starring the acclaimed Meryl Streep and not-so acclaimed Pierce Brosnan, which was adapted from creator and producer Judy Craymer’s original musical, but with Craymer firmly in the driving seat of this new UK tour, Mamma Mia is set to continue breaking box office records and lifting our spirits.

It’s impossible not to laugh and for some, including me, cry at some of the more poignant moments in this riotously funny but ultimately feel-good show.

Mamma Mia is on at the Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday, May 7.