Was there ever a wedding that was perfect? Not in the comedic imagination of Bertolt Brecht, whose play, A Respectable Wedding, captures the characters who turn up and fizz out at a bridal breakfast.
In this classic comedy, staged by the newly formed Root and Branch Productions for the GM Fringe, there are no names of characters, only their roles, like 'bride' and 'groom', 'sister of the bride', 'father of the bride', the 'groom's best friend' and so on, reflecting the fact that it could be any wedding – even yours...
"We all start off nicey, nicey but as the wine flows and the food goes, it becomes your worst nightmare" says Eccles actor Steve Connolly, who plays 'the husband' "It's your worst idea of how a wedding breakfast could turn out – the husband and wife start sniping at each other, the best man comes out with a speech that is a bit risqué, the sister is flirting with the young man and the father of the bride comes out with long boring stories...
"...The mother is trying to keep it all together and in the middle are the bride and groom who are just wanting to have the perfect day" he adds "But it just isn't turning out that way – just like every wedding really..."
A Respectable Wedding was originally written by the brilliant German playwright, but Steve says that the humour translates, together with a bit of help from ace comedian Rory Bremner...
"You hear the words 'German play' and 'comedy'; and it's like a contradiction in terms really" Steve laughs "But it is a really funny play, and 'translated by Rory Bremner' comes with a comedy seal on it for things that are funny. It's spot on and I'm really looking forward to see how the audience reacts to it."
Steve is also taking part in the No Scripts Allowed event at the end of the GM Fringe, at the Kings Arms on 31st July, and is building up a bit of name for himself, being represented by the agency of ace playwright Jim Cartwright (Road, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice etc) and being on stage recently at The Lowry (Changes) and The Dancehouse (Unnecessary Farce).
A Respectable Wedding sees Steve as the 'husband' with 'wife' (Prue Griffiths), joining guests at the unveiling of a drama that is played out every week where there are some nuptials going down...
A Respectable Wedding
Monday 10th July – Wednesday 12th July 7pm
53two Theatre
Albion Street, Manchester.
Tickets £10/£8 – click for more details and to book
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