Weddings. An event of love shared with those you care about the most.
For the lucky couple, the day can be a stressful one. An underlying fear that something could go horribly wrong. Whilst my own wedding and reception went off without incident, there was still that nervousness sitting at the back of my mind. But what if things did go wrong? How would I have handled it? But, thanks to the team at Interactive Theatre, I can experience what it might have felt like with ‘Confetti & Chaos’.
For those that have never attended one of these shows before, they are unpredictable and hilariously funny. Whilst you enjoy a delicious three course meal, the show happens around you. And at times, you become part of the show. Confetti & Chaos is set around a wedding reception that goes horribly wrong. Having experienced Interactive Theatre’s other show, ‘Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience’, I was excited for what was to come.
Newlyweds Will and Stacey, are about to be surprised with a wedding reception. Hosted at the Stamford Plaza Hotel in Melbourne, we were greeted by an overly excited Mother of the Bride, Lynn. Best Man, Ricky is roaming around the tables and letting the guests know the reception is a surprise. Also present were wait-staff Vicky and Marv, assisting with seating and interacting with the guests. Our table was right in the middle, directly opposite the wedding party table. Due to its positioning, I had a feeling we were going to be right in the middle of the action. A thought that I would later on discover, was grossly underestimated.
Unlike Faulty Towers, the cast of Confetti & Chaos take on multiple roles. There would be an excuse for the actor to leave the room, to which they would return dressed as a new character. Whilst the costumes were enough to distinguish between the characters, their body language, facial expressions, and the overall differences between the personalities of each character made the changes very believable. With only a cast of four, you could easily be mistaken that there were many more hiding in the wings for their scenes.
Monique Lewis-Reynolds takes on the role of Lynn, the mother of the bride and a surprise guest. Both roles are fantastic, and I was impressed with how Lewis-Reynolds worked the room, creating mini-personas of the guests and how they fit into the family tree. Adrian Espulso as Best Man Ricky, and Father of the Bride Ray, is great. Espulso’s best man is hilarious! The token drunk chaotic troublemaker that embarrasses the entire wedding party. His portrayal of Ray was equally as impressive and perfectly executed that old-man-energy with ease complete with an iPad for taking photos.
Rebecca Fortuna takes on the roles of Waitress Vicky, Bride Stacey and a special guest that is sure to shock the entire room. Jack Newell portrays Waiter Marv, and Groom Will. Whilst their secondary characters are fantastic, it is their portrayals as the new couple that blew me away. Fortuna impresses as Stacey is somewhat shy and nervous but not afraid to let her emotions out when events take a turn.
The standout for me though would have to be Newell’s performance as Will. The poor bloke just wanted a quiet day celebrating the love he has for his partner but the whole thing goes belly up. Newell’s facial expressions and body language told more of the character than the dialogue did. His wide-eyed shocked face is still replaying in my mind.
The food was delicious with a pumpkin quiche entrée, chicken thigh with a potato gratin and tomato-based sauce for the main, and a delicious red velvet cake for dessert. There was plenty to choose from at the bar too, with wines, beer, cider, and some non-alcoholic beverages.
Confetti & Chaos has so much to unpack! Love and jealousy, embarrassment and the uninvited, and drama layered upon more drama. An emotional rollercoaster with so many twists and turns, I was completely enthralled by what was happing around me. There is plenty of physical comedy too. One particular incident had the best man, Ricky, topless and dancing in the middle of our table. The whole evening had my friends, the audience, and I in stiches.
Interactive Theatre’s Confetti & Chaos is one of those evenings that I will not forget. Good food, good company, and fantastic comedy from the talented cast. Not only was the whole experience extremely funny, but it also delivered on its name’s sake with literal confetti and absolute chaos.
Confetti & Chaos is playing at Stamford Plaza Melbourne as part of the 2023 Melbourne International Comedy Festival until April 23. If you’re not in Melbourne however, the show actually touring Australia!
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2023/shows/confetti-and-chaos
https://www.interactivetheatre.com.au/our-productions/confetti-chaos