Hundreds bid for Mamma Mia role

Hundreds of young singers hoping Mamma Mia! producers would take a chance on them have turned out to audition for the West End hit.

Hopefuls began arriving at Soho's Prince Edward Theatre at 6am this morning looking for their chance to star in the smash musical performing songs by Abba.

The audition was the last chance to catch the eyes of the producers, who have already been to Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh, Dublin and Belfast in their search for men aged between 18 and 25 and girls between 16 and 21 for leading roles, as well as actors for the ensemble.

Former Italia Conti student Alexa Robinson, 21, arrived at the theatre just after 7am hoping to be in the first wave of auditions. She said: "I thought I would be near the front of but there are hundreds of people in front of me."

Charlotte Gaskell, 21, another ex-pupil of Italia Conti, said: "You do so many auditions that you start to wonder if there is any point, but if you want it bad enough you are prepared to do it."

Youngsters without formal stage school training also took the opportunity to sing in the open audition.

Ian Binstead, 23, a cast member at Butlin's in Skegness, said: "It was in The Stage about three weeks ago and hasn't appeared since so I had hoped people had forgotten about it, but it doesn't look like they have."

Producers planned to see only 250 applicants, but the large crowds led them to expand the numbers.

Julian Stoneman, general manager of Mamma Mia! producer Littlestar, said: "We are thrilled with the turnout."