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Show: The Wedding Singer
Society: Epsom Players
Venue: Epsom Playhouse
Credits: Book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy, Music by Matthew Sklar, Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Type: Sardines
Author: Caroline Jenner
Performance Date: 14/09/2022
The Wedding Singer
Caroline Jenner | 15 Sep 2022 21:00pm
If you are looking for an uncomplicated, feelgood, nostalgic trip back to the 1980s look no further than Epsom Players production of The Wedding Singer, running at Epsom Playhouse until Saturday 17 September. Beginning on Broadway in 2006 and nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, with music by Matthew Sklar and Lyrics by Chad Beguelin, The Wedding Singer is perfect for a little bit of mindless escapism, something much needed when everything we hear in the news is doom and gloom.
For those uninitiated in the 1998 film, wedding singer Robbie Hart is dumped at the altar by fiancée Linda, but not before he’s met, and felt a spark of something, for local waitress, Julia. However, Julia is engaged to cheating Wall Street big shot Glen – no guesses where the story goes from there. The characters, from Robbie’s oddball band to his heavy metal obsessed ex fiancée, are larger-than-life, but as with so many musicals once you suspend your disbelief the endearing world of Robbie, Julia and their friends and family will carry you along to a fairy tale ending.
The two leads, Chris Witham as Robbie and Sophie-Lee Colchester as Julia, share a real chemistry. Strong voices convincingly combine feistiness and kindness alongside a sympathetic stage presence. Witham oozes charm early on with his easy, natural charisma in the opening scenes, but moves effortlessly into the role of vulnerable cynic – particularly evident in an excellent rendition of ‘Casualty of Love.’ Colchester meanwhile instils some credible practicality in her advice to ‘Come Out of the Dumpster.’
Robbie’s keyboard player George (Dan Brickwood) appears as a Boy George lookalike, with a successful running gag from guitarist Sammy (Chris Madden) who appears oblivious to George’s obvious homosexuality. Victoria Swaine as Linda, Akhil Gowrinath as Glen and Sophie Toyer as Angie all turn in solid performances. However, the two actors who steal the show are Melissa Rochowska as Julia’s best friend Holly and Karen Paterson as Robbie’s Grandma Rosie. Rochowska excels as the brash, sexy Holly, particularly when she is verbally sparring with band member Sammy, who happens to be her ex. Her big moment at the end of Act One, where she leads on the number ‘Saturday Night in the City’ brings the first half to a resounding end. Paterson, as Rosie, brings a sense of fun and cheekiness to the elderly granny, who despite her stoop and baggy cardigans shows a surprising suppleness as she raps and dances her way through her Grandson’s misfortunes.
Paul Madeley’s choreography is slick and lively, it is unfortunate, however, that sometimes the set design means that dancers are a little squashed and possibly placing a table further upstage or having slightly fewer chairs would allow them more space. Some of the set changes also take away from the pace and although the use of different levels is effective in a number of scenes the amount of furniture being moved on and off is distracting. Credit to Simon Banks for some well thought out lighting states, particularly in ‘If I told You’ and the lovely gobos spinning around in the finale.
Some suitably kitschy costumes enhance the period feel, alongside wonderfully awful wigs which perfectly evoke the 1980s.
Under Katy Jackson’s direction, The Wedding Singer provides a perfect end of summer show and has the audience stamping, cheering and whistling approval. This production is an engaging and energetic good night out.