The Wedding Singer

Review by Kathryn Lynch

It's time to step back into the 80s friends!

Yeah, you know what I'm talking about… crimped hair, fluoro pants, tulle skirts, Play-Doh, spray jackets, Alf, slap bands, springy shoelaces, pinball, Pop Rocks, Ninja Turtles… the list goes on.

From the moment I walked into the foyer of the Renaissance Theatre I was transported into the wedding reception hall of a happy couple… complete with silver streamers hanging on the doorways and tacky paper decorations hanging from the roof - instantly attracted to the three tiered wedding cake that sat on the long table in the centre of the room.

But whose wedding had I crashed? I wasn't too sure!

As the guests sipped on champagne and beer, there was a hyped buzz in the foyer as we all eagerly awaited the late arrival of the bride and groom.

The musical was first performed on Broadway in 2006 and has finally hit Melbourne's shores for audiences to flock to thanks to BuST Co (Burwood Student Theatre Company). Co-Directors Luis Rivera and Greta Georgiou present this musical comedy version of much loved Adam Sandler film The Wedding Singer. 

The directors suggested that their vision for this show was to "portray these characters in their genuine fashion, with depth and real emotion…we did not however want to lose all the 'cheesy' elements".

And they certainly made sure of that… there is enough cheese on offer here to put Kraft out of business.

It's New Jersey circa 1985 and rock star wannabe Robbie Hart is everyone's favourite wedding singer. He is the life of the party - until his own fianc�e leaves him at the altar!

Shot through the heart, Robbie makes every wedding as disastrous as his own. Enter Julia, a quiet yet caring waitress who soon wins his affection.

The only trouble is, Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark, and unless Robbie can pull off the performance of the decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever.

With a brand-new score that plays loving homage to the pop songs of the 1980s, The Wedding Singer takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer just might be the coolest guy in the room.

My memories of the film date back to being a ten year old girl with a super crush on Sandler (for the sole fact that he sings that song on the plane - the superbly sweet Grow Old With You to the lovable Drew Barrymore).

My memories of the actual 1980s were not so vivid (seeing as I was only alive for the last two years of the era), however I do recall playing Atari and listening to Michael Jackson in my lounge room while my sister crimped my hair.

So expectations were still quite high.

A very high energy opening led the way as the cast danced the night away at the first of many weddings for the evening. The choreography was just cheesy enough and just 80s enough to make any audience member want to jump up and start doing the robot on their seats. Just superb.

The new pop songs follow in the same tongue-in-cheek comedy style of the Adam Sandler original with Julia's Come Out Of The Dumpster or Grandma's Note or Sammy's tune Single all finding the right mix between laughs, tune and fun tackiness (cardboard cut out props and sets, like hearts and sky scrapers, being a real visual highlight).

The lead roles were played with professionalism and high talent in all areas.

Jae Atkins rose to the challenge of interpreting Sandler's character of Robbie Hart, with a strong voice (and the always adorable talent of being able to playing the guitar - what can I say, I'm a sucker for a rock star!). Surprisingly, this is his first musical production since leaving high school!

By the end of the show my love for Robbie Hart was definitely reignited, as was my crush for Jae's serenading version of Grow Old With You, as he floated down the staircase of the audience right beside my chair. He definitely made the character his own, and really explored the emotional roller coaster of the character - from getting his heart broken to falling in love with Julia.

Lauren Seymour was a standout lead playing Julia - ranging from quiet waitress, to girly drunk, to love struck bride. Her voice was by far the strongest and most beautiful to listen too as she dreamed of her own wedding day in Someday and If I Told You. Her transformation from waitress blacks to a strapless wedding dress equally stunning, making her every inch a believable blushing bride.

Special mention must also go to Felicity Bender as Robbie's "bitch" fianc� Linda, who delivered a fantastically sarcastic and heart breaking letter with A Note From Linda in her rock star wedding dress. She later returned to lure him back with a raunchy scene on the bed, which also proved her talents as a strong dancer (and potential sex symbol).

Then there was George on the gloriously gay key-tar (a cross between a guitar and keyboard) wearing extreme fake pink lashes and colourful head bands (and also wearing a crowd favourite in the electric blue pants and frilled shirt). George was played by Jhess Knight with a perfect pout and just enough masculinity to pull off playing the flamboyant musician.

And what incarnation of The Wedding Singer would be complete with a special mention of Lucy Leek aka 'Grandma Rose' for her 'old lady dancing' and hunched back - all coming together with just enough youth to pull off calling Linda a 'whore' and getting the biggest cheer for rocking out to Move That Thing at her 50th Anniversary.

The ensemble was extremely versatile and entertaining, creating the atmosphere at each wedding and supporting the leads with very strong and clear voices - along with some great choreography by Natalie Torcaso. 

Standout songs were Casualty Of Love with the "mutants at table nine" and Saturday Night In The City, accompanying the character of Holly as she psyched up the audience for the interval in her gorgeous black corset and red tutu.

The real ensemble highlight came towards the end of the second act, when Glenn and Julia whisk away to Las Vegas - leading to a hilarious array of celebrity wannabes ranging from Yoko One to Billy Idol (Shane Sanfilippo), Mr.T,  Tina Turner (Josephine Pulitano) and Cyndi Lauper.

The costumes too were superb; all the girls seemed to have asked their mothers for their old bridesmaid dresses… including puffy sleeves and tulle to taffeta that scratches as they dance across the stage. As for the the fellas in cummerbunds, leather jackets and Chuck Taylor shoes... well, let's just say - this is what retro fashion is all about!

Slight technical glitches could have let down the overall energy of the performance, with microphones not picking up some actors lines, however the theatre was intimate enough that it didn't effect the audiences enjoyment, as they joined in clapping as if they were guests at the variety of weddings themselves.

If you miss the days when it felt right to crimp your hair, wear copious amounts of blue and pink eye shadow and play cassette tapes instead of iPods as you rocked out to Iron Maiden or Billy Idol... then prepare to walk down the aisle to BuST Co's The Wedding Singer...

It's one invite you will want to RSVP "Attending" to!

3 out of 5

The Wedding Singer
Presented By: BuST Co.
Directors: Luis Rivera & Greta Georgiou
Musical Director: Simon D'Aquino
Choreographer: Natalie Torcaso
Lyrics: Chad Beguelin
Book: Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy
Based upon the New Line Theatre film Written By: Tim Herlihy
Official Website: The Wedding Singer