The original London production of Mamma Mia! chalks up 1,500 performances at the Prince Edward Theatre Oct. 31.

Having been a sell-out success since it opened in April 1999, Mamma Mia!'s success is a tribute to producer Judy Cramer's vision in persuading Abba writers Bjorn and Benny to agree to a stage musical written around their songs.

The show has gone on to prove to be an international success, with a particularly strong impact in New York.

Since Mamma Mia! opened, it has been seen in London by 2.4 million people and, worldwide, by over 7 million. There are productions currently in London, Toronto, New York, Sydney and two tours in the United States. On Sunday, Nov 3. the first foreign-language version of Mamma Mia! opens in Hamburg.

The show's success has inspired a number of other pop hit -based shows like We Will Rock You and, more recently, Our House.