The George Hotel

gust  4th – 28th

£39.00 – ( £43.00)

Script:  Stagecraft:   Performance:

After weeks of waiting in eager excitement, The Wedding Reception’ was finally upon us.  Located in the Hanover Suite at The  George Hotel in central Edinburgh, this place was going to play host to Will and Kate’s wedding reception. With a gathering of family members and so-called best friends lingering in the foyer, you are catapulted into a moist mayhem of chatter, chaos  and bewilderment; the wedding planner, the mother-in-law and the best man create an accurate sense of realism. Like a detective , you begin to wonder who is who? Its all rather surreal, finding yourself feeling like you are actually at a wedding reception ….   Awesome !!!!

With five well-sculptured central characters, five tables & a convincing set design this worked well. A production of ingenious ideas, exhilarating, mind-blowing, uplifting and fresh. To take one of life’s delicate subjects such as marriage and create a side-splitting piece of well-scripted and improvised theatrical art was cheeky, yet smart.  This is a show that sucks  the audience in, forging an immediate bound between cast and the guests – plus there’s a three course meal, wine and a genuine feeling of togetherness all adding to the occasion .

From the creative team that brought you Faulty Towers this production follows in similar footsteps.  Produced with precise and obvious intentions to allow as much improvisation as possible, the true art of theatre is apparent. I have never witnessed anything like this before.   As the tale unravels and the truth escapes, while relationships fall apart and love is found, the show delivers a wonderful & warm succession of artistic beauties. How more real can a show get !!!  It was fictional but factual, emotional but heart warming,  diverse and delightful, with a twist that even a cork screw could not have anticipated!

Highly talked about and highly recommend, this show is a must see.   Turn a dreich , tired Scottish day into a bursting ray of sunshine by allowing yourself to be transported into a world of fun. laughter, social education and screaming loved ones.  Executed and delivered with professionalism and a great script behind them these actors come into their own and leave us wishing we could get married everyday. You are more surprised and baffled after you leave than when you had arrived.

Reviewed by Raymond Speedie