The Wedding Singer (The Tivoli Theatre, Aberdeen) – Review by Hannah Davidson

Photography Credit: Hannah Cook & Dan Stoneman

Treading the Boards Musical Society takes us back to the 80s this week with their production of ‘The Wedding Singer’ at the Tivoli Theatre, Aberdeen. Adapted from the beloved 1998 film of the same name, starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, the musical first premiered on Broadway in 2006, quickly earning a Tony nomination for Best New Musical. Since then, the show has enjoyed numerous international adaptations, tours, and amateur productions.

As an avid fan of the show – and having previously starred in a production at the Tivoli in 2019 as part of a 24 Hour Musical for charity as a (very sleep-deprived) Grandma Rosie – I was excited to see TTB make their mark on the piece and, most importantly, have fun with it!

It’s 1985, and Robbie Hart is the go-to wedding singer in New Jersey. A hopeless romantic who truly believes in love, Robbie’s world is turned upside down when he is brutally left at the altar by his fiancée, Linda. Heartbroken, he vows to leave his wedding-singing days behind him.

Enter lovable waitress Julia, who befriends Robbie and ropes him into helping plan her own wedding to her questionable, sleazy fiancé Glen. However, as Robbie and Julia spend more time together, sparks begin to fly and the pair slowly realise that true love may have been right in front of them all along.

Matthew Buchan leads the cast of 34 as the ever-charming Robbie Hart. Buchan delivers a fantastic performance, winning the audience over immediately with the opening number, ‘It’s Your Wedding Day’. His comedic timing is superb, striking the perfect balance between his own interpretation and the Adam Sandler charm and wit that fans of the film will appreciate. Vocally, Buchan remains strong throughout, confidently tackling the demanding score while spending very little time off-stage. Buchan also does well to keep Robbie’s multiple character arcs at the forefront of his performance, taking the character journey in his stride. 

Eve Reynolds gives a standout performance as Julia Sullivan. It would be easy to take a character like Julia and slip into the helpless girl-next-door-who-can’t-make-a-decision trope; however, Reynolds ensures Julia remains both likeable and relatable. With pitch-perfect tone and excellent comic timing that complements Buchan’s Robbie, Reynolds brings a calm, gentle – and at times genuinely moving – presence to the show’s wild, quirky storyline. The chemistry between Buchan and Reynolds feels natural and believable, making it easy for the audience to root for them throughout, especially during the quieter, tender moments such as ‘If I Told You’ in Act 2. 

Photography Credit: Hannah Cook & Dan Stoneman

Calum Ross delivers a superbly comedic turn as Sammy Doley, the bass player in Robbie’s wedding band, Simply Wed. His Act Two number ‘Single’ proves a particular highlight, allowing Ross to shine vocally while remaining firmly rooted in character. Lewis Masson completes the Simply Wed trio as George Sitzer, bringing strong comedic timing and equally impressive vocal moments. Together, Buchan, Ross, and Masson form a highly entertaining trio.

Megan Love’s portrayal of Holly Sullivan, Julia’s cousin, is equally impressive. Confident and charismatic, she complements everyone she shares the stage with. The Act One finale, ‘Saturday Night in the City’, may well be the standout moment of the entire show, featuring a stellar solo vocal performance from Love supported by a powerhouse ensemble. Her Act Two number, ‘Right in Front of Your Eyes’, is another memorable highlight.

Lawrie Gibb appears as Glen Guglia – a change of pace from his last TTB outing as Reverend Moore in Footloose last year. Gibb brings a distinct Patrick Bateman-esque energy to Glen. With strong character and physicality, he proves the ideal villain for the piece.

Emily Grant appears as Robbie’s ex-fiancée, Linda Goodbody. Despite only appearing twice in the show, Grant ensures her presence is memorable with standout vocals and confident character choices. Similarly, Emma Thomson delivers a strong performance as Angie Sullivan, Julia’s mother, with thoughtful, humourous character work – another significant contrast from her role last year as Ethel, the Reverend’s wife and Ariel’s mother in Footloose.

Finally, TTB 2026 President Sophie Hatrick steps into the role of the slightly inappropriate yet lovable Grandma Rosie. Much like in the film, Grandma Rosie pops up throughout both acts with a quip never far away, and Hatrick handles the role with charm and warmth.

No TTB production would be complete without its ensemble, and ‘The Wedding Singer’ proves an excellent showcase for the society’s company. Established in 1990, Treading the Boards is Aberdeen University’s musical theatre society, welcoming students from Aberdeen University, Robert Gordon University, and North East Scotland College to take part in its annual productions. Previous shows have included Footloose, Rock of Ages, Grease, the Scottish premiere of Be More Chill, All Shook Up, and many more. This year also marks TTB’s first production at the Tivoli Theatre after staging previous shows at Aberdeen Arts Centre.

This ensemble may be one of the strongest TTB has seen in recent years, with members tackling multiple roles ranging from fake Madonna, fake Cher, and fake Billy Idol to disgruntled bridesmaids, drunk bums, and more – if you know, you know.

A special mention must go to Harry Stewart, Alex Donnelly, and Connor Wilson, who move seamlessly between numerous male ensemble roles with individuality and excellent character choices throughout. 

Featured dancers include Amy Crawford (Dance Captain), Rachel Green (Dance Captain), Lucie Dow, Erin Grant, Sally Stewart, and Emma Wilson, who make the absolute most of Eilidh Spencer’s precise, full-out choreography.

The wider ensemble also includes Jenna Bothwell, Jenna Bradford, Abbie Burns, Amber Collings, Laura Dow, Emmie Macgillivray, Erin Glennie, Emily Hindle, Lia Landgraf, Abbie Menzies, Sophie Morrice, Aoife O’Neill, Lea Ruecker, Neve Smollet, Erin Urquhart, and Ellie-Nicole Watt.

Photography Credit: Hannah Cook & Dan Stoneman

The set is minimal but utilised well, though at times the action feels slightly distant from the audience due to staging positions. I’d have loved to have seen more colourful lighting or a backdrop to enhance the lively atmosphere on stage, as the plain black tabs did not always complement the light-hearted nature of the piece. Some set pieces also unfortunately felt slightly unfinished and at times, a little clunky, however, this is not at all impacting upon the energy, performances and enthusiasm from the incredibly hardworking cast. 

One of the highlights of TTB as a society is seeing former cast members step over to “the other side” into production team roles. It is a fantastic place to begin developing those skills, and this year’s team features familiar faces from TTB’s not-so-distant past.

Co-directors Jade Thomas and Andrew Stuart clearly approached the show with fun at the forefront of their vision. ‘The Wedding Singer’ may be far from Shakespeare, but they have encouraged the cast to approach it with individuality and thoughtful comedic character choices across all roles, from principals to ensemble. Taking on a production of this scale – alongside a move to the Tivoli – is no small feat for a first production-team outing, but the pair have worked effectively with their fellow creatives and cast to ensure the show remains slick, lively, and thoroughly entertaining.

Ethan Lumsden and Ross Al-Sayed take on the catchy yet demanding score as co-musical directors. While the principals are strong, TTB often shine brightest when the entire company comes together, particularly in harmony-heavy numbers such as ‘Not That Kinda Thing’, ‘All About the Green’, and ‘Saturday Night in the City’. Lumsden and Al-Sayed guide the cast confidently through this complex score while maintaining a strong focus on storytelling across solos, duets, and full-company numbers, which is incredibly impressive. 

The musical features music by Matthew Sklar (‘The Prom’, ‘Elf the Musical’), lyrics by Chad Beguelin (‘The Prom’, ‘Elf the Musical’, ‘Aladdin’), and a book by Beguelin and Tim Herlihy – who, fun fact, also appears as a bartender in the original 1998 film and is a long-time collaborator of Adam Sandler. The result is a quick-witted score that captures the spirit of the era without feeling overly dated 20 years on from its original premiere.

Flying solo as choreographer is Eilidh Spencer, a familiar face with TTB over the last few years. Her choreography is energetic and dynamic throughout, with ‘Saturday Night in the City’ and ‘Casualty of Love’ standing out as particular highlights – clearly as enjoyable for the cast to perform as they are for the audience to watch. Spencer has firmly established herself as an exciting choreographer to watch within Aberdeen’s amateur theatre scene.

Overall, Treading the Boards deliver another hugely enjoyable night out, and fans of the 1998 film will certainly leave satisfied. At its heart, TTB continues to capture the spirit of amateur theatre – bringing students from across the city together to build friendships, develop their skills, and most importantly, have fun along the way! 

The Wedding Singer runs at The Tivoli Theatre until Saturday 7th March with 2 performances, 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets available here: https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/whats-on/the-wedding-singer/ 

4 stars