The Lichfield Garrick

It is 1986, and Robbie Hart (Daniel Roberts) is pursuing a career as a songwriter, while living in his grandmother’s (Rachel Smith) basement. He is also the leading Wedding Singer in New Jersey. Charged with the job of entertaining complete strangers on their happiest days, it is a job that keeps him busy.

With his band of bassist Sammy (Richard Bratby) and keyboard player George (Jamie Jones) they play the music of the day for appreciative audiences. Robbie is doing well until his fiancée Linda (Gabrielle Cleverly) leaves him at the altar, and his career, and friendships start to suffer.

The only ray of light is are sisters Holly (Erin Deakin) and Julia (Jessie Morris) who Robbie develops feelings for, but she has a fiancée Glen (Scott Harrison) who has the money, and career that Robbie lacks. However, the happy ending is never in any doubt.

This stage musical is an adaptation of the successful late 1990’s film, that starred Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, and in transferring the action from film to stage, a lot more is expected of the cast. All of the principal cast need to act, sing, and dance, and they all delivered with aplomb.

One of the charms of the film was the soundtrack, which featured songs from the eighties. Here, a new soundtrack has been written, which helps to tell the story. The show starts with the smorgasbord of choreography and energy that is It’s Your Wedding Day, while Robbie’s despair is well illustrated in Somebody Kill Me.

His rudeness to a newly married couple, and siding with those who are not so lucky in Casualty of Love is a good contrast to the feelgood Saturday Night in the City.

In act II All About the Green shows the era fascination with money and consumerism, after Robbie goes to the city to find a job.

The denoument of the piece is moved from an airplane to a Wedding Chapel in Vegas, where Glenn’s true nature is revealed, and cameo’s from Billy Idol, Elvis Presley, Ronald Reagan, Tina Turner, and Cyndi Lauper play to both humour, and setting the play in both time and place.

The elements of humour, pathos, and everyday life are well played, and the young cast showed that they were more than up to the job of this demanding performance, which required both discipline and a lightness of touch. With choreography and direction from Laurie Asher and Katie Jones, some slick set changes and sets, and a talented band that played everything from rock, funk, jazz and Jewish Klezmer music, the audience got a lot for their ticket price.

South Staffordshire College return to the Garrick later in the year. For more information about their shows visit www.lichfieldgarrick.com.