Review: The Wedding Singer, The Bridewell Theatre

The Wedding Singer, based on the 1998 film of the same name starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, tells the story of Robbie Hart, the lead singer of a wedding band, and Julia Sullivan, a waitress on the cusp of marriage. It follows their friendship as they try to navigate love and life in the 80s. 

The lead characters, portrayed by Joe McWilliam and Abbie Minnock, are so funny, with both performers making the most of some hilarious dialogue and lyrics. McWilliam, who plays Robbie Hart, is an excellent vocalist, particularly in the rock songs, and Minnock, portraying Julia Sullivan, displays a gorgeous tone and soaring voice. Heather Daniel, playing Linda, and Nurin Abdul Aziz, as Holly, are also particular vocal powerhouses and are hilarious throughout! Jon Haines as Sammy and Glen Jordan as George are a similarly comedic duo!

The jokes throughout the show are well-timed and well-delivered, particularly during the songs, which have clever and humorous lyrics. The uplifting 80s score is played by a talented band and some great onstage actor-musicians. I loved the use of guitar and bass live on stage, and although it would have been cool to have had the full wedding band perform live, the cardboard instruments used by the performers at times are very inventive and work well. The commitment to decorating the set in a jazzy 80s print (including the floor, the dumpster, and the duvet!) also looks excellent and really brings the set together. Similarly, the costumes involve lots of shoulder pads, neon, scrunchies, and crimped hair which helps create the era of the show! 

The set is simple and effective, and the direction makes good use of the space– as does the choreography which is always energetic and full of excitement and great moves! The ensemble dance numbers are particularly fun, with the entire cast demonstrating excellent energy and enthusiasm. The ensemble is engaging and comedic throughout and portray all the other characters within the story brilliantly, with great costume changes and commitment (the fighting over the bouquet scenes is especially realistic and descends into fantastic levels of chaos).

There are moments that I would have loved some characters to be slightly more spotlit by the lights to really ensure the audience is able to enjoy the excellent performances. However, this rarely detracts from the show.

The Wedding Singer is an enjoyable, uplifting, hilarious production performed by an incredibly talented cast. The Centre Stage cast, crew, and band have so much talent, energy, and excitement and have produced a fantastic musical!