Muriel's Wedding the Musical - Abbasolutely fantastic fun!

★★★★★

“It’s me, hi, I’m the problem it’s me,” – Muriel Heslop, probably.

The cast of Muriel's Wedding, photo by Marc Brenner

She’s a thief. She’s a liar. She’s selfish. And she’s not even the worst character in PJ Hogan’s laugh-out-loud musical, based, of course, on his hit film. Not by a mile.

That is when compared to a hyena girl-gang of bullies who never transitioned from high school (Helen Hill, Lillie-Pearl Wildman, Jasmine Beel and Daisy Twells), sofa slobbing siblings (Jacob Warner, Joseph Peacock, and scene-stealer Lena Pattie Jones), and an adulterous father with a political agenda (Darren Day). Though I can't seem to truly dislike them, either.

But Muriel, played in a star-making turn by Megan Ellis, is the ultimate anti-hero. She’s bashful. She’s a dreamer. And she invites us into a technicolour world, where morals may be flawed but are commendable. Strap in as she ditches the family and makes for a new life as a wife in Sydney.

Matt Kinley has designed a flawless set that spins like a record on a turntable, introducing an array of vibrant folk; the carefree characters of Sydney “where the prostitutes and drug dealers live”, Pacific Island cruisers, ravers that finish their night in The Gutter, and smarmy shop assistants, into Muriel’s orbit. It pairs perfectly with Natasha Chivers’ neon lights and Tetris-style video walls by Andrzej Goulding, which animate our protagonist’s imagination with pop posters, social media feeds, and cityscapes.

At its centre is the vaping Rhonda, played with an infectious lust for life by Annabel Marlow, who, together with Ellis, form a dizzying friendship. They lead a cast chock-a-block with personality and dare I say, one of the hardest-working ensembles from the UK to Australia who balance stamina with gleeful humour.

A whopping pop score from Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall is decidedly self-aware and irresistibly funny. There are a lot of tunes padding out the lengthy run time, but thankfully, for the most part, they’re brilliant: the cutesy duet “Amazing”, “Sunshine State of Mind”, and “Here Comes the Bride”, which sees us into the interval with aplomb. They’re mixed in with some recognisable ABBA numbers, as the band themselves (hilarity from Bronte Alice-Tadman, Jasmine Hackett, Aaron Tsindos, and Jamie Doncaster) appear as a Greek chorus, moving like holograms.

It doesn’t just sound bright and bold (musical supervisor Isaac Hayward) – but Andrew Hallsworth’s choreography is a force, backed up by an enviable wardrobe (Gabriela Tylesova) that features couture wedding dresses, cheeky leathers, patterned swimsuits, and dazzling white platform heels.

Simon Phillips is a magpie of a director; everything he touches here shines – whether it’s a cinematic fight with a pool noodle, a gentle caress of a bouquet, or a celebrity wedding. But, like the beloved songs of ABBA, for every five upbeat numbers, there’s a tragically beautiful one. He’s got a soft touch. Beneath it all, there’s a lot of heart.

And it shows in the details – original influencer Muriel is the first victim of the apps, Rhonda’s hair fades its vibrant pink with her own spirit, and ongoing gags about pronunciations flag an impending identity crisis.

It’s Abbasolutely fantastic fun!