MOONLIGHT FLICKS OPEN AIR CINEMA, STORYHOUSE IN THE PARK, CHESTER – UNTIL 31ST AUGUST 2026
REVIEWED BY MIA BOWEN
5*****
I went to Moonlight Flicks Open Air Cinema to watch Mamma Mia! —the first of six films this season—and honestly, I wasn’t quite prepared for how much I was going to love it. Picture this: a huge inflatable screen, a very British blanket of cloud overhead (but thankfully not a single drop of rain!), and that unmistakable buzz of people settling in for a night that already feels a bit special before the film even starts.
It was my first time, so I went in curious… and came out wondering why I haven’t been doing this every summer of my life.
Like Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, it’s not just about the show —it’s about the whole experience. There’s something so lovely about watching everyone arrive, juggling blankets, snacks, and chairs like it’s a competitive sport. Some people had hired chairs, others came fully prepared with their own, and a few (clearly the seasoned pros) had brought what can only be described as deluxe blanket nests. Once everyone settles, you can feel this warm, happy buzz ripple through the crowd.
And the food? Don’t even get me started. People were tucking into fresh wood-fired pizzas like it was a festival, drinks in hand, all very relaxed and “we’ve got nowhere else to be.” There’s even a bar, and you can pre-order everything—which feels incredibly organised for something that also involves sitting in a field watching ABBA under the stars.
One of the best bits is the headset system. Everyone gets their own, you can adjust the volume, and it somehow makes the whole thing feel both communal and personal at the same time. Although… I’ll admit, I did take mine off at one point. Not because of the sound quality—but because I could hear the audience softly singing along to the songs, and it was too good to miss.
And by the end? “Softly singing” had very much turned into full-on standing, dancing, belting-it-out-with-no-shame energy. Mamma Mia! was the perfect choice to kick things off—a proper feel-good, sing-your-heart-out kind of film that had everyone completely swept up in the moment.
I went expecting a nice evening. I left with a big smile, slightly hoarse from singing (no regrets), and already planning my next visit—this time with the family. Because honestly, this isn’t just a cinema trip… it’s a whole memory waiting to happen.