The Wedding Singer

Scott Farley, Ashley Gibson, Isaac Bell, Romina Cortina, Howard Davis and Matt Pilipiak. Photo by Daniel DiMarco.

As far as recent decades go, the 1980s were undoubtedly one of the most colourful. Big hair, shoulder pads and neon reigned supreme, while everyone was watching MTV for the latest music video. This simpler time (1985, specifically) has been recreated on stage in The Wedding Singer, based on the hit 1998 film starring Adam Sandler, now playing at the University of Toronto's Hart House Theatre. The story follows the film's timeline very closely but features a list of original songs and no shortage of crimped hair and parachute pants.

The audience is instantly transported back in time during the production's first scene as wedding singer Robbie Hart (Isaac Bell) and his bandmates George (Scott Farley) and Sammy (Matt Pilipiak) perform for a group of wedding guests, including quintessential '80s bridesmaids. It is clear that Robbie's band brings a great deal of fun to the weddings they perform at, as waitresses Julia Sullivan (Ashley Gibson) and her cousin Holly (Romina Cortina) run around in a flurry of excitement and laughter during the songs. Robbie is excited for his own wedding the next day to Linda (Sarah Horsman), who he describes as someone who makes him feel “awesome," and as he and waitress Julia get to know one another, Julia's dreams of one day becoming engaged to her boyfriend Glen (Howard Davis) are made known.

As fans of the film will remember, not all goes according to plan on Robbie's anticipated wedding day, and the moment is played out perfectly by Sarah Horseman in “A Note From Linda." Robbie subsequently falls into a depression, and his rendition of “Somebody Kill Me Please” is both hilarious and disturbing, taken directly from the film but infused with Isaac Bell's own original talent and excellent voice. Returning to work as a wedding singer, Robbie's bitterness is clear in every song he performs for happy couples, and Julia, who indeed becomes engaged to Glen, does her best to pull Robbie out of his funk and back to reality. Because Glen is busy with his Wall Street job (or so sweet Julia believes), Robbie agrees to come along with her as she registers for gifts and shops for wedding dresses. The chemistry between Bell and Gibson is electric, making the relationship that develops between Robbie and Julia one to cheer for.

This production of The Wedding Singer is as light and fluffy as a slice of cake, featuring a close-knit circle of friends who look out for one another, and a romance that blossoms in front of the audience. Robbie's grandmother Rosie (Charlotte Cattell) steals every scene she appears in, and her musical collaboration with Scott Farley's George will leave you laughing long after the curtain has fallen.

The Wedding Singer runs until January 25 at Hart House Theatre. Visit harthouse.ca for more information and to buy tickets.