THEATRE: 20 NOVEMBER 2017 By SANDRA BOWDEN

Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical, based on the book by PJ Hogan | Music and lyrics by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall | Directed by Simon Phillips

Sydney Theatre Company (www.sydneytheatre.com.au) & Global Creatures | Roslyn Packer Theatre, Walsh Bay, Sydney | Until 27 January

Throughout this year, it would be pretty hard for a Sydneysider to have not seen the sunny poster, with the equally sunny redhead, announcing the coming of Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical. Sunglasses reflecting the familiar landscape, beaming smile, confetti, the anticipation building as more and more of the advertisements appeared. But was the wait worth it?

Oh. Oh my gosh, yes. But the wait for we the audience was nothing compared with the road from book to international box-office hit to stage.

It’s been 23 years since PJ Hogan’s novel was developed into a quirky, occasionally dark movie with newcomers Toni Collette as Muriel Heslop and Rachel Griffiths as her Porpose Spit High School friend Rhonda Epinstall. The current Muriel, Maggie McKenna, wasn’t even born yet. Let that sink in, Boomers.

Global Creatures CEO Carmen Pavlovic (Moulin Rouge! The Musical; Strictly Ballroom; King Kong) approached PJ Hogan after seeing a copy of the book while seeking inspiration for her next venture. Interestingly, director Simon Phillips and Hogan had already been through several discussions about putting Muriel on stage.

Reading through the program notes, it becomes evident that many reservations, discussions and roadblocks stood between the dream and its realisation. Hogan himself was cautious about how Muriel’s story could be translated to musical form. It was also essential that the musical adaptation would need to blend the familiarity of the original with a modern twist.

Intense and difficult negotiations with ABBA’s management had already occurred for the film, and despite its success, it was not an easy path to include ABBA’s music once again. Knowing how essential their music would be to the success of a stage production, persistence — 18 months of persistence — once again paid off.

Collaborative song-writing duo Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall worked their magic to create immediately catchy and often poignant pieces that perfectly blend with the ABBA classics, while paying enormous respect to the intricacies of Hogan’s characters.

The Roslyn Packer Theatre’s stage provides a magnificent space for Muriel to burst into new life. Set and costume designer Gabriela Tylesova has created a loud, hilarious, extravagant world full of colour, fun and “swish-swish”. Framed in hot pink and dotted with phone screens, the sets and characters move seamlessly through some frankly stunning transformations.

Speaking of stunning, Maggie McKenna, making her professional stage debut is an absolute perfect match for the awkward, lovable, terrible Muriel. From the moment she catches school friend Tania’s bridal bouquet — clumping through the wedding guests with a huge, toothy grin — she is completely captivating.

It is easy to see why, with McKenna’s flair for comedy and superb voice, she would be a contender for the role — but it is her ability to embody Muriel’s darker side, to do justice to the full emotional complexity of the role, which makes her the perfect fit.

The pop colours of the poster and a fond remembrance of some of the film’s more outrageous moments ensure the promise of lots of laughter and enjoyment. The warning attached to the booking details reminds patrons that the production contains adult themes including suicide — and it’s worth taking heed if there’s anyone thinking of taking kids along, unless you’re comfortable explaining fellatio to a seven-year-old …

Hogan’s stage adaptation fulfils his desire to retain the depth of the characters, and Miller-Heidke and Nuttall’s music builds upon this to produce some truly moving scenes. Muriel’s “bestie”, Rhonda (Madeleine Jones) determinably tackles her cancer diagnosis while watching Muriel disappear into a fantasy world of dream weddings and Twitter fame. Justine Clarke is a heartbreakingly wonderful Betty Heslop — the Mum that no-one appreciates until it’s too late — and her final scene is handled with a beautiful sensitivity.

Then there’s Gary Sweet’s more streamlined, shiny-suited Bill Heslop growling at his hopeless family while flirting with a squeakily perky Deidre Chambers (Helen Dallimore), the Heslop siblings Joanie (Briallen Clarke), Malcolm (Connor Sweeney) and Perry (Michael Whalley), slouching on the couch in perfect harmony, Muriel’s “friends” Tania (Christie Whelan Browne), Cheryl (Manon Gunderson-Briggs), Nicole (Hilary Cole) and Janine (Laura Murphy) spitting venom as they watch their rejected mate become a social-media star.

Add in Ben Bennet’s love-struck Bryce, Stephen Madsen’s buff Alexander and some wonderful comedic moments from Dave Eastgate’s Ken Blundell, plus an impressively talented ensemble, and it’s easy to imagine that director Simon Phillips must have occasionally pinched himself at this dream cast.

If asked what most people would remember about Muriel’s Wedding, it’s a pretty safe bet that as well as delightedly drawling “You’re terrible, Muriel!”, they would mention Muriel’s love of ABBA, and how their music kept her going when times were tough.

The way ABBA’s music has been incorporated into Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical is genius. In tight white outfits, climbing out of Muriel’s wardrobe, Agnetha (Jaime Hadwen), Anni-Frid (Sheridan Harbridge), Benny (Aaron Tsindos) and Bjorn (Mark Hill) continue to remind Muriel — and us — that you can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life.

Go. Dance. Have the time of your life.

All images: Lisa Tomasetti.