Few theatre events have been as hotly anticipated as the opening night of Muriel’s Wedding the Musical. A new Australian musical with an original score is a rare beast in itself but the reimagining of one of Australia’s best-loved films, which launched the international careers of Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths back in 1994, comes with high expectations. Everything from casting to costume design has been covered in the press and Maggie McKenna, making her professional theatre debut as Muriel Heslop, has already featured on the covers of both Limelight Magazine and Sunday Life. To say the show has been hyped would be an understatement.

The Cast of Muriel’s Wedding the Musical. Photos © Lisa Tomasetti

It’s a thrill, therefore, to report that Muriel’s Wedding the Musical, presented by Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures, lives up to expectations and more. The show has the audience laughing and cheering right from the start, opening with a bang on Muriel’s dead-end hometown Porpoise Spit with a larger-than-life beach number Sunshine State of Mind. This is Muriel’s world blown up and painted in vibrant, stylised song and dance.

With...