The Wedding Singer, based on the 1998 film starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, follows the story of Robbie Hart, a wedding band singer, and Julia Sullivan, a waitress about to get married. Set in the 80s, it explores their friendship as they navigate the ups and downs of love and life.
Leading this cast is Michael Bardo as Robbie and Lauren Byford as Julia. Michael has great vocals which are well suited to this show and the score, and he worked especially well with Lauren. I particularly enjoyed his live guitar playing throughout. Lauren was a delight to watch and impressed with her overall performance.
Wylie Queenan as Sammy and Joe Baker as George were the other band members and sang and performed well.
Holly played by Cassie Estall was another super strong performance. Cassie has great stage presence and comic timing. Glen, Julia's fiancé was played by Kieran Bacon. Keiran had lots of strength in this character and commanded the stage in this role. Joanne Quinney was rock chick Linda and gave lots of sass with her delivery & vocals and as Grandma Rosie, Diana Easton embodied the 80’s and brought some great light relief throughout the evening.
The vibrant 80s-inspired score, led by MD Clare Benson, is performed by a talented band, perfectly complementing the show's lively atmosphere. The set, adorned in jazzy 80's squares, looks fantastic and ties everything together, while the costumes—featuring white wedding outfits with colourful accents, along with neon hues, ra-ra skirts, and eighties hair—brilliantly capture the era.
The choreography, though simple, is highly effective, with direction that makes excellent use of the space. The numbers are packed with energy and fun moves, particularly in the ensemble performances, which highlight the cast’s enthusiasm and dancing skills. The ensemble remains engaging throughout.
Though some characters could have benefited from more focused lighting to better showcase their performances, and there were a few minor sound issues, these do little to detract from the overall experience.
The Wedding Singer is an entertaining, feel-good production filled with laughter, performed by an incredibly talented cast. The CAODS team brings energy, excitement, and immense talent to this fantastic musical!
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