Wedding blues and loads of laughs in Inverness Musical Theatre's latest musical
When it came to playing the part of hit musical The Wedding Singer’s leading man, Matthias Kremer just had to say ‘I do’.
On Wednesday the show from Inverness Musical Theatre opens at Eden Court.
But way back six months ago when the auditions were just a thought, all it took to tempt Matthias to have a go was reading the script of the 1998 film turned musical.
“It was just the fun of the script.” He said. “It’s really funny and I don’t want to oversell it, but it’s hilarious.
“The more I looked into it, the more it seemed to be really fun as a show and it seemed to fit for me.
“I can play the guitar passably and I get a wee chance to play guitar onstage – that’s quite nice and not something I’ve done before.
“And it was certainly a challenge because Robbie’s on a real rollercoaster. So I thought ‘I’ll give it a bash’.”
Luckily, the production team including first-time IMT director Steph Smart and assistant director Tierney Macleod, choreographer Alan Banner and musical director Alan Mackintosh, chose Matthias.
What was he asked to do at rehearsals that obviously convinced the people who would have to work with Matthias that they had found their man to mould into their perfect Robbie?
“They gave us the opening number to sing – Robbie’s big opening number and you sing most of that and then there were scenes from the various stages of Robbie’s story to make sure you can portray all the different ups and downs in Robbie’s… let’s say decline. Then …,” but Matthias doesn’t want to give too much of the story away.
It sounds as if he has been living the show and working hard at rehearsals since he took on the role.
So has he been trying to live the part, even when he’s not working on the show – like the Method actors do?
Matthias laughed: “Probably I really embody as much as I can at rehearsals, but I don’t go round being Robbie the rest of the time!
“He is so delighted at the start of the show and then so miserable later, so it would be quite exhausting going through life like that – he really goes through the wringer!”
For anyone who doesn’t know the story, Robbie is the talented singer in a New Jersey wedding band, loving his job, wanting to make it in a ‘real’ band, but also on the verge of being married to the lovely Linda. But when she jilts him on his wedding day, Robbie’s life is shattered, and he can’t lift his spirits enough to do his job properly any more…
Set in the 80s, the film – and now the musical – loves to celebrate all the best things about the era. The big hair, the fabulous pop CDs, the rock T-shirts… expect them all.
Matthias said: “I think the best thing about the show is the hair, but there is a good number of characters who have excellent hair, that took a while to get right!
“The miniature Linda is also a good prop,” he said without giving away any more details.
“And some of the 80s props that Lisa Senior has made, are worth looking out for – including a really great mobile phone which is going to be a scene-stealer, I think!”
And though he is offering some great pictures of things to look out for in the show, Matthias is taking a back seat when it comes to one of his normal important roles in any IMT show – taking photos for the publicity.
“I’ve been taking some in rehearsal, but in the programme this year I’m not the only one getting the credit because my partner Alison Ozog has been very diligently taking about 70 per cent of them this year.”
With just days now till opening night, Matthias is looking forward to Sunday’s rehearsal: We’re getting geared up for the ‘sitzprobe’ – when you meet the band and sing all the songs through with them for the first time. It’s a lot of hard work, but a really nice day. We’ve rehearsed all the way with a piano, which sounds a certain way, then all of a sudden you get to hear all the instruments.”
Inverness Musical Theatre presents movie rom-com-turned-musical The Wedding Singer – celebrating the 80s – at Eden Court from Wednesday (Mar 29) to Saturday. Tickets:
