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Muriel's Wedding is an Australian stage musical based on the 1994 film of the same name, written and directed by P.J. Hogan. The musical features original songs by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall, as well as pop hits from ABBA. The world premiere took place in Sydney, Australia, on November 18, 2017, and it has since been performed in various cities across Australia and the UK. But how long does the musical actually go for?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Premiere Date | 18 November 2017 |
| Original Production Run | 6 November 2017 to 27 January 2018 |
| Original Theatre | Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney |
| Director | Simon Phillips |
| Choreographer | Andrew Hallsworth |
| Music Supervisor, Orchestrations, Arrangements & Additional Music | Isaac Hayward |
| Set Designer | Matt Kinley |
| Costume Designer | Gabriela Tylesova |
| Video Design and Creation | Andrzej Goulding |
| Lighting Designer | Natasha Chivers |
| Sound Designer | Adam Fisher |
| Casting | Stuart Burt, CDG CDA |
| UK Premiere Date | 10 April 2025 |
| UK Theatre | Curve, Leicester |
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What You'll Learn
Critical acclaim
Muriel's Wedding the Musical has received widespread critical acclaim. The production premiered in Australia in November 2017 and returned with an Australian tour in 2019, receiving rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. The Sydney Morning Herald described it as "incredible" and predicted that "it will be talked about for years". Time Out praised the musical, saying, "It's better than an ABBA song... it's a modern classic".
The musical is based on the 1994 Australian film Muriel's Wedding, written and directed by P.J. Hogan, and features a mix of ABBA pop hits and original songs by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall. The stage adaptation was also written by Hogan, directed by Simon Phillips, and choreographed by Andrew Hallsworth.
The musical tells the story of Muriel, a young, ABBA-obsessed woman who dreams of a perfect wedding but is missing one key element: a groom. She moves to Sydney in pursuit of her dreams, and although she initially seems to find everything she ever wanted, things soon start to go wrong.
Muriel's Wedding the Musical has been hailed as a "smash hit" and has received numerous awards and nominations. It won five Helpmann Awards, seven Sydney Theatre Awards, an Awgie Award, the 2018 David Williamson Prize, and an ARIA Award Nomination. At the 2020 Melbourne Green Room Awards, the musical received four awards in the Musical Theatre category for Original Australian Writing, Choreography, Set Design, and Costume Design. It was also nominated for Production, Direction, Lead Role, Supporting Role, and Lighting and Multimedia Design.
The critical consensus praises the musical for its heartfelt and quirky tone, oddball Australian characters, and nostalgia-heavy soundtrack. The original film, Muriel's Wedding, was also well-received, earning positive reviews and multiple award nominations, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Toni Collette, who played Muriel.
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Awards
Muriel's Wedding the Musical is based on the 1994 film of the same name written and directed by P.J. Hogan. The musical premiered in 2017 at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in Sydney, produced by the Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures.
The musical has received numerous awards and nominations. In 2017, it won seven Sydney Theatre Awards, including Best Production of a Mainstage Musical and Best Original Score of a Mainstage Production. It also received awards for direction, choreography, musical direction, supporting role, and newcomer. The musical was nominated for Best New Australian Work and four other categories. In 2018, it received the AWGIE Award for Music Theatre and the David Williamson Award for excellence in writing for Australian theatre. That same year, it won five Helpmann Awards, including Best Original Score, and was nominated for Best Musical and Best New Australian Work, among others. In 2020, at the Melbourne Green Room Awards, Muriel's Wedding received four awards in the Musical Theatre category for Original Australian Writing, Choreography, Set Design, and Costume Design. It was also nominated for Production, Direction, Lead Role, Supporting Role, and Lighting and Multimedia Design.
The original 1994 film, Muriel's Wedding, also received several award nominations, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Toni Collette. In 1996, the film was nominated for a WGA Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, and in 2015, it won the Felix Award for Best Actress for Toni Collette and was nominated for Best Song for ABBA's "Dancing Queen".
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Touring
Muriel's Wedding the Musical is an Australian production based on the 1994 Australian film comedy of the same name. The musical features original songs by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall, as well as pop hits by ABBA.
The original production began previews on November 6, 2017, and officially opened on November 18, 2017, at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in Sydney. The musical ran until January 27, 2018, and later returned for a successful Australian tour in 2019, with its final performance in Brisbane on October 26, 2019.
The musical celebrated its world premiere as a co-production with the Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures. The 28-person cast included Max McKenna in the title role, Justine Clarke as Muriel's mother, and Gary Sweet as Muriel's father. The cast also included Madeleine Jones as Rhonda, Helen Dallimore as Deidre Chambers, and Briallen Clarke as Joanie, among others.
The UK premiere of Muriel's Wedding the Musical will be held at Leicester's Curve from April 10 to May 10, 2025. The cast will include Megan Ellis as Muriel and Annabel Marlow as Rhonda.
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Soundtrack
The soundtrack of Muriel's Wedding the Musical features music and lyrics by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall, with additional songs originally written for ABBA by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson. The original cast recording was released on 12 January 2018 and debuted at #17 on the ARIA Albums Chart in Australia.
The musical features a mix of new songs and classic ABBA hits. The ABBA songs featured in the musical include "Dancing Queen", "Waterloo", "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do", "SOS", "Money, Money, Money", and "Super Trouper". The new songs by Miller-Heidke and Nuttall have been described as "addictive" and "catchy", with the Sydney Morning Herald commenting that the musical has a "conspicuously inventive score".
The musical's soundtrack has received critical acclaim and several awards. At the 2017 Sydney Theatre Awards, the production won the award for Best Original Score of a Mainstage Production. It also received a nomination for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2018. Additionally, the musical won the 2018 Helpmann Award for Best Original Score and the 2018 AWGIE Award for Music Theatre.
The success of the musical's soundtrack can be attributed to the talented cast and creative team. The original production featured a 28-person cast, including well-known Australian actors and musical theatre talent. The musical was directed by Simon Phillips, with set and costume design by Gabriela Tylesova. The book was written by P. J. Hogan, who also wrote and directed the original film.
Overall, the Muriel's Wedding the Musical soundtrack is a delightful mix of catchy new songs and beloved ABBA classics that perfectly capture the essence of the original film and enhance the enjoyment of the characters and plot on stage.
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Plot
Muriel's Wedding is an Australian stage musical based on the 1994 film of the same name, written and directed by P.J. Hogan. The musical, like the film, follows the story of Muriel, a young woman obsessed with ABBA who dreams of a fairytale wedding, despite not having a groom.
The musical begins with Muriel stuck in a dead-end life in the fictional town of Porpoise Spit. She plans to follow her dreams of a perfect wedding to Sydney, where she ends up with everything she ever wanted. However, this is when things start to go wrong. Muriel moves to Sydney with her best friend, Rhonda, and changes her name to Mariel. She gets a job at a video store, briefly dates a kind man named Brice Nobes, and indulges her wedding obsession by trying on dresses and taking photographs. Muriel's life takes a turn when Rhonda suddenly falls ill and is diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in her spine, eventually leaving her paraplegic. Muriel promises to care for Rhonda and never let her return to Porpoise Spit, but their friendship becomes strained when Muriel confesses her fixation on having a perfect wedding.
Following Rhonda's health crisis, Muriel's attention turns to her family back in Porpoise Spit. Her mother, Betty, has attempted suicide, and her father, Bill, is revealed to be corrupt and under investigation for taking bribes. Muriel stands up to her abusive father and offers to help raise her siblings, even giving Bill money from her wedding fund. She also confronts her former tormentors, who are now visiting Rhonda, and offers to take her back to Sydney.
As the musical progresses, Muriel's life begins to improve as she finds love and fulfils her dream of a perfect wedding. However, her happiness is short-lived as she realises her marriage is not based on love, and she and her husband part ways. Despite the challenges and setbacks, Muriel remains resilient and determined to create a better life for herself, ultimately finding happiness and a sense of fulfilment.
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Frequently asked questions
The musical has a running time of approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.
The original production began previews on 6 November 2017 and officially opened on 18 November 2017, running until 27 January 2018 at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in Sydney.
The Wedding Seat Experience allows audience members to participate in the wedding scene on stage, which takes around 10-15 minutes.
