YORKSHIRE ROWS ATTEND MAMMA MIA! AT LEEDS GRAND THEATRE
When MAMMA MIA! opened at Leeds Grand Theatre there was one group of Yorkshire women who simply had to see the show.
In February 2016, Helen Butters, Frances Davies, Niki Doeg and Janette Benaddi, better known as The Yorkshire Rows, became the first women to row across the North Sea. A story of determination, friendship and true Yorkshire grit, they have since written a book in which they tell of singing ABBA songs to keep them going.
Speaking after the show, Helen Butters said: “Sitting in the theatre watching MAMMA MIA! brought back so many wonderful memories of our time on the ocean. The Show was amazing; the atmosphere in the theatre was incredible and getting to meet the cast afterwards was such a treat.”
Facing storms, hurricanes, 40 foot waves, sleep deprivation and power failures, the four women crossed the Atlantic in 67 days, 5 hours and 2 minutes earning them a world record for being the oldest women’s crew to cross any ocean.
Janette Benaddi said: “One of our favourite songs to sing was I Have a Dream. We changed the words so instead of ‘crossed the stream’ we sang ‘crossed the ocean’ – it didn’t sound right, but it felt right; it was our dream to cross the ocean.”
MAMMA MIA! is Judy Craymer’s ingenious vision of staging the story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs through an enchanting tale of family and friendship on a Greek island paradise. To date, it has been seen by more than 60 million people – in 50 productions – in 16 different languages. In 2008, MAMMA MIA!The Movie became the highest-grossing live action musical film of all time.
The team of four women have raised thousands of pounds for various charities and now work with women’s groups and schools to encourage people to take up sport or to challenge themselves.
MAMMA MIA! is at Leeds Grand Theatre until Saturday 8th July 2017
Tickets are priced from £20 (RV) to £59.50
(prices include a £3 booking fee. Postage charge £1 where applicable)
Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call Box Office on 0844 848 2700