The Wedding Singer

Siting the band at the back of the stage and integrating its members with the wedding singers created just the right atmosphere for the opening scene. Even the latecomers tiptoeing across the front of the auditorium on Friday night could have been mistaken for wedding guests. The additional benefit was the freeing up of the whole width of the auditorium allowing the creation of three separate acting areas. Good use was made of these with a cleverly designed hinged bed/sofa/cocktail bar stage right for Robbie’s bedroom and the bar scenes, while stage left was used for the dumpster and miscellaneous other scenes. Although the main part of the stage was cramped when the ensemble danced this was consistent with the reality of most wedding receptions I have been to. The relative absence of props and set, with the exception of the the items mentioned and a few tables and chairs, was also a boon on this small stage.  The overall impression gained from the ensemble scenes was one of fun and dynamism. The reception hall scenes were all different in their choreography and it was clear that everyone was having a good time. I especially loved All About the Green and Grandma and George’s  gyrations during Move That Thang but it was all very well done.

This production seemed to give anyone who wanted something extra to do an opportunity to do it; there were so many characters with a line or two of dialogue and so many dance breaks that anyone with aspirations to move, if not dance, could do so. The hard core dancers also had an opportunity to shine. Having said all that there were still many key roles for talented principals and Springers had talent in abundance. Joe Newman as Robbie Hart was excellent, maintaining the youthful energy, positive or negative (especially in Somebody Kill Me), throughout and handling both comedy and serious dialogue. Ian Pavelin, always excellent, made the most of Sammy, looking like Che Guevara with magnetic eyes. Daniel Schultz made a good debut as the extremely camp (Boy) George while Amy Serin Leslie as Julia pitched this just right – sweet without being saccharine. Helen Arber’s characterization of Holly was extremely engaging, her singing and dialogue complementing her physicality. Deborah Anderson, playing Robbie’s grandma, Rosie, captured the audience’s heart with her comedy and dance energy and Natalie Hills, as Linda, delivered the raunch on cue and did not look like a “skanky whore” to me! Peter Spilling was a suitably patronizing Glen Guglia and did a great job with All About the Green while Catherine Gregory, playing Julia’s mother, Angie, did well with a small role.    

Although set in the 1980s, with some visual cues like the huge mobile phone, Sammy’s crazy hair and Rosie’s shell suit to locate us in that era, this show is sufficiently strong that absolute truth to the 1980s is not a necessary prerequisite for success. In fact, apart from those occasional visual reminders I was so absorbed in the action that, for me, the era was irrelevant. The Wedding Singer, as produced by Springers, was a hugely entertaining show and with a few tweaks to avoid anachronisms could be set in any era.  

Congratulations to all involved. I look forward to the next show.

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