Adaptations are tricky; they require you to be true to the original while creating something truly unique. Some musicals based on beloved movies find it hard to strike that balance between the nostalgia of the known and the excitement of the new. Personally, I think the book of The Wedding Singer falls into that trap; however, my job is not to review the text but rather the performance and dramaturgy of Holroyd Musical and Dramatic Society. That, I must say, did not fail to delight.
The directing team of Cathy Boyle and Georgee Glynn has done a wonderful job of guiding their cast and making some well-constructed staging choices that help to capture the essence of a light-hearted rom-com. I was particularly impressed with the use of lighting; Boyle and Glynn worked with Matthew Lutz to create clear spaces, and the use of coloured LEDs for phone calls or to create separation was dynamic and interesting. Another aspect of the staging that I found to be well utilised was the projections, designed by Adam Ring. The shape and texture of the images felt cinematic and gave the impression of watching a John Hughes movie—the attention to detail was truly impressive. M. Seedsman’s choreography looked simple and prioritised shapes rather than movement, which I think was a smart choice and worked well with the music and style of The Wedding Singer. I have seen too many shows where over-choreographing can hamper characterisation and vocal quality, so the choice to develop specific moments shows good vision and collaboration from this team.
At the centre of this show is the relationship between Robbie Hart and Julia Sullivan, played by Matt Anderson and Audrey Reay. These two were perfectly cast in these roles. Anderson has an earnest energy that works so well for Robbie. The shift from excited optimist to jaded misanthrope was clear and added to the humour of ‘Casualty of Love’, which was one of my favourite numbers of the evening. Reay’s ‘Come Out of the Dumpster’ is a close second for best number and shows off her storytelling as a performer excellently. I think the script doesn’t give Julia much to work with in terms of personality, so more credit to Reay as an actor for finding some range and giving dimension to Julia.
The antagonist of a rom-com is always so important—if you don’t hate the bad guy, none of this works. Thankfully The Wedding Singer has Nathan Lomas, who plays “jerk” so well. He is a commanding performer who elevates every scene he is in and has great chemistry with everyone else. His Act Two number, ‘All About the Green’, made me wish that Glen had more songs. The show also has a secondary antagonist in Caitlin Dennis as Linda. Linda is not on stage very much, but when she is, Dennis makes full use of every single second. Robbie Cooper and Douglas Bryant play Robbie’s best friends and bandmates, George and Sammy. Cooper is delightfully camp and caring, and is great at chewing the scene but never takes too much attention away from the action at the centre. Bryant is wonderfully pathetic as Sammy; he plays the role of a lovable loser perfectly. Callista Banks clearly enjoyed being Holly, and who could blame her? She had all the attitude that the hot chick in an ’80s-themed rock musical needs. She is a star in ‘Saturday Night in the City’ and has great friend chemistry with Reay’s Julia. The last person supporting Robbie is his loveable Grandma Rosie, played by Kat Sowden. Sowden plays up the absurdity of the character and has some of the best lines in the show.
Everyone at HMDS should be congratulated for a well-put-together show that makes use of every tool at their disposal. I also want to shout out Lauren Carter for her program design—it is super cute and original and made me smile. It isn’t often I would think to mention a program in a review, but that is how clever it is.
The Wedding Singer, the show itself, might not be my cup of tea. The Wedding Singer, the Holroyd Musical and Dramatic Society production, is a great night out filled with talented people. This show is recommended to everyone who has ever wanted to sing “Love Stinks” after a break-up.