The Wedding Singer

The Wedding Singer
Music: Matthew Sklar. Lyrics: Chad Beguelin. Book: Chad Beguelin & Tim Herlihy. Phoenix Ensemble. Director: Alicia Caruana. Musical Direction: Faron Swingler. Choreography: Nicola Crawford. Pavilion Theatre, Beenleigh. 5-27 February 2016

The Wedding Singer is a fun show and Phoenix Ensemble’s production of it was fun from start to finish. An affectionate send-up of the eighties, it’s a clever adaptation of the movie on which it is based about a cheesy entertainer who finally gets his waitress. The satire was sharp, the characters instantly recognisable, and the music consistently rocked thanks to some smart musical direction by Faron Swingler and a seven-piece group. It’s Alicia Caruana’s directorial debut and she proved with this outing she was born to sit in the pivotal chair.

As Robbie Hart, the wedding singer, Alexander Tanasoulis brought a dorky kind of charm and plenty of empathy to the character and had the necessary vocal chops for the heavy-metal screams of “Casualty of Love”, and was able to bring it down a notch or two with the romantic “If I Told You”. It was a nice performance.

Matching him was Katya Bryant as his love interest Julia. She sang well, especially the wistful “Someday”, and managed to tinge her “Come Out of the Dumpster” duet (with Tanasoulis) with pathos.

Jermia Turner was perfect as the ‘tease’ Linda, and made the most of her second-act bedroom strip “Let Me Come Home”, while Phillipa Bowe was a riot as the dirty-talking, rapping Grandma.

Shane Webb, last seen being charismatic as Harold Hill in Queensland Musical Theatre’s The Music Man, brought a ton of stage-savvy to the slease-bag ‘suit’ Glen, and scored big-time with his hymn to Wall Street, “All about the Green”.

Good work was also done by Tyler Stevens as band member Sammy, Shannon Tilley as harassed Mum Angie, and Sammy Ge as a Boy George clone.

The costumes blitzed the stage with 80s kitsch - leggings, bling and wigs, with the dance moves echoing Michael Jackson and “Flashdance.”

The energy of the company was infectious, and with the chorus kids getting their turn in the spotlight with their Las Vegas impersonators at the finale (Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper and Billy Idol etc), everyone, cast and audience, went home totally satisfied.

Peter Pinne            

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