The Wedding Singer

This funny and fast moving show proved a winner with energetic action and wonderful musicality. The opening wedding number was enthusiastic and well drilled with a clear rhythm set by the musicians. The story about a band of three earning a living as performers at weddings soon becomes more telling as one marriage fails, the lead singer, the Wedding Singer, is jilted at the altar and others including him try to find love. Chris Cairns gave his all as Robbie Hart The Wedding Singer, opening as a cheerful optimist trying to make weddings happy occasions and saving disasters by taking over from drunken best men before becoming a more despairing soul just trying to find love for himself. The show revolved around him and he delivered consistently throughout with moving and well sung songs like Casualty of Love and If I Told You and well harmonised numbers like Grow Old With You. In these duets and also in Come out of the Dumpster Lesley Kettles proved herself to be a confident and characterful Julia. The audience could see from her realistic and pragmatic take on life that her planned marriage to Glenn was not the right match. She handled the meeting with Linda stoically and gracefully and was a great match for Robbie. Alison McLeod gave us a self seeking Linda who delivered the Note From Linda with cool articulation and later excelled in the scene where she lasciviously begs and sings Let Me Come Home. Michael Coyne gave us a materialistic and egocentric bully businessman Glenn who acted the sweetheart until the tables were turned on him – as well as minor roles which he fully characterised. Robbie’s band mates came into their own as the action unfolded. Will Spears created a Sammy whose life was germane to the others, already being separated from his wife, being supportive to Robbie in Today You Are A Man and Single then singing a heartfelt Right in front of Your Eyes with Holly played by Caitlin Smith. She presented as a beautifully brash character and dancer giving her all in Pop and Saturday Night in The City. Also supportive and totally in role was Joe Young as bandsman George. In his number George’s Prayer he made his mark and then showed his humour, rhythm as Mexican go getter. Meanwhile Louise Stephenson performed her role as Grandma Rosie with impeccable timing and diction in A Note From Grandma and the unexpected sharp and well defined movements in Move That Thang- totally in time with the music. Not forgetting the resplendent Rob McDermott as Elvis even catching the throatiness of the voice. This was a story of twists and turns upheld by an energetic and committed cast in choreography that conveyed joie de vivre. The delivery and enjoyment in the company numbers like It’s Your Wedding Day, Not That Kind of Thing and Saturday Night In The City was clear. Everything was knitted together by a splendid band under an MD who orchestrated and maintained a wonderful sound and beat throughout. All was staged against a simple backdrop which was easily adapted to each scene with props and slick scene changes - some by the cast. I loved the vibrating bed. Costumes were apt and colourful especially for the weddings. This was a well produced and executed show giving great pleasure to their audience. Congratulations to all.

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