I was proud to see my third ex-Theatretrain student in a month tackling a lead role in a professional production. This was in Muriel’s Wedding at the Leicester Curve Theatre. It was a musical version of the 1994 film with its tale of comeuppance and consequences. Muriel is an unusual hero because she lies and cheats money out of her family, but we still root for her. She is the embodiment of everyone who was ever put down or sneered at. She’s a larger lady in all senses of the word. Big size, big dreams, big heart.
Small town Porpoise Spit is the backdrop to bitchy friends, no-hoper lazy siblings, local town corruption and double-dealing relationships. Muriel escapes to the big city (Sydney) with its all-embracing culture and chance to rewrite your story. Muriel meets Rhonda and they have a ball until Rhonda has a chance accident that puts her in a wheelchair. Muriel keeps her dreams of marriage and goes through a series of events that make her reexamine what she stands for. That all sounds a bit dull, but it’s poignant and laugh-out-loud funny.
Megan, the ex-student I went to see, captured Muriel completely. She had the fixed, bemused permanent smile and the wicked go-it-your-own-way approach to life. She has a fantastic voice, and we rooted for her from the start. From Megan’s performance, you could sense the inner insecurity, and when she emptied the tank of her feelings, you were with her.
The original film used ABBA songs to good effect. Here they were even cleverer, they introduced the four characters of the band to be projections of Muriel’s dreams and imaginary friends and advisors, as well as guardian angels, merely through the singing of the words of the ABBA songs. Brilliant.
This production, in association with the Arts Council, must have cost a fortune; the stylish sets, big cast, and huge costume changes all made a great impact on the audience. Every scene had colourful digital location scenery and a whole raft of bystanders woven into the story. At one point, even members of the audience were introduced onto the stage as wedding guests.
Surely this production merits a West End run. I’m sure it would be popular and critically successful. It’s rude and in your face in that brash Australian way, but that’s part of its charm.
I asked Jenny and Sian of Northampton Theatretrain to tell me about Megan. Jenny said, “Megan was always a standout performer; she has an amazing voice, so she was often representing us as a soloist at the Royal Albert Hall as well as local shows. She also had a real talent in drama, was always focused and dedicated to her craft and with maturity in her approach to her work, so it’s no surprise to see her succeed.”
Megan was the last of the performers to walk on for her bow, and as she did so, the audience rose and gave her cheers and a standing ovation. I do hope this show comes to London – it deserves it and so does Megan.
