Twenty-three years on, Muriel Heslop, is still feeling the beat of the tambourine – Oh yeah!
In the 1990’s, Australian cinema turned a corner, leaving behind the sentimental period dramas and outback thrillers for a laid-back and vibrant look at our narrative. The result saw quirky hits such as The Castle, Babe and Cosi earning international acclaim, but it was Strictly Ballroom, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Muriel’s Wedding which truly took the world by storm.
Some twenty years later, in the era of screen-to-stage adaptation, both Priscilla and Strictly Ballroom have received theatrical makeovers. It’s only fitting then, that the ABBA-obsessed Muriel Heslop should also tread the boards in a new stage adaptation of the 1994 movie Muriel’s Wedding.
The great aspect about this production is that it’s been written for the stage by the original writer/director himself P. J. Hogan, and the direction comes by way of Simon Phillips – who coincidentally is also directing next year’s stage revamp of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Produced by Global Creatures and the Sydney Theatre Company, the new production of Muriel’s Wedding has recreated the Heslop family with Justine Clarke as Betty, Briallen Clarke as Joanie, Michael Whalley as Perry and Connor Sweeney as Malcolm.
Newcomer Maggie McKenna takes on the title role of Muriel, after training at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in LA. While Helen Dallimore plays the flirting beauty consultant, Deidre Chambers, Christie Whelan Browne is Tania Degano with Aaron Tsindos as her husband Chook.
Rounding out the cast is Gary Sweet as Muriel’s harsh and unsympathetic father Bill and Madeleine Jones as Muriel’s best friend Rhonda.
The Bound for Broadway Scholarship winner Stephen Madsen plays Olympic swimming hopeful Alexander Shkuratov in Muriel’s ‘arranged marriage’.
“I saw the film in high school and was really into its offbeat balance of comedy and tragedy,” says Madsen.
“I revisited it a few months before I heard about the stage production and was really struck by how sad it actually is. I haven’t re-watched it since starting rehearsals because we’re creating our own version of the story, and I didn’t want to feel too married (pun intended) to moments from the movie.”
Preparing for the role of Russian Alex (changed slightly from the film’s original South African character), Stephen developed his persona by preparing both mentally and physically.
“The script is so good and my character exists very clearly on the page, so most of my work has been done by creator P.J. Hogan. Alex is young and ambitious which is easy for me to relate to. I have a Russian accent in the show so I’ve worked with a coach and listened to various recordings for my preparation. I’ve also had to hit the gym and pool regularly to pass as an Olympic swimmer!”
One other memorable thing about Muriel’s Wedding is the camp music of ABBA. Unlike the last staging of Priscilla, which replaced the group’s playlist with Kylie Minogue, ABBA themselves agreed to the use of their music for the new production. Additional original numbers have also been written by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall.
But Muriel’s Wedding isn’t taking the stage simply for the novelty. The story of a socially awkward working-class girl who battles family and social ineptitude to discover herself, actually reflects ourselves and society.
“We’ve all known people like these characters and we’ve all felt like an outsider,” says Madsen.
“The film has stood the test of time because the writing and the performances are so strong. It made international stars of Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths and for good reason. It’s full of heart, brilliantly funny and one of the most quotable films you’ll ever see.”
Unlike its famous catch phrase, it seems that Muriel Heslop really isn’t so terrible after all.
Muriel’s Wedding runs at the Roslyn Packer Theatre until 30 December
For more visit: sydneytheatre.com.au
