Bride To Be by Meg Millane (who we were lucky enough to chat to on our YouTube channel, which you can watch here) combines all the fun of a drag brunch with an array of over-the-top characters, as it documents the experiences of getting married. The high-energy yet highly relatable story explores the archaic ideas about marriage that are still embedded across cultures, told through the lens of someone who just wants to have some fun. The story blends Meg’s incredible dance talents with her masterful storytelling, creating a show that will have you laughing throughout — and you may even learn a thing or two about the history of marriage!
What is particularly clever about this production is the fact that the entire show is underpinned by Meg’s own recent experience of getting married, where she gained first-hand experience of the types of characters one encounters throughout this process. Maintaining this high energy from the very first moment she steps onto the stage to the closing moments of the show itself, Meg traverses an incredible number of costume changes as she transforms into the range of different characters she has met throughout this process. One of the most poignant characters Meg brings to life throughout the show is her version of a bride-centric influencer, as she attempts to offload a series of overpriced gifts that any bride ‘would need’ to make their day truly special. Beginning this section of the show by highlighting the influx of wedding-related advertising she has been receiving since getting engaged (which is true of pretty much anything in this modern world), Meg then physically transitions into this wedding-obsessed, ‘Team Bride’-crazed salesperson. This allowed the audience to easily follow along with the story and, let’s be honest, we have all seen this type of person on social media trying to peddle wedding-related tat for extortionate prices. This amplified the relatability felt by every single person in attendance.
In one of the more eccentric sequences in the show, Meg brings to life an anthropomorphic wedding cake who is very set in their ways and stands firm on the classic traditions many people still associate with marriage. Those who know me in real life will be aware that my mother is, in fact, a baker, and I have helped support her with the delivery of many people’s wedding cakes, which is so immensely anxiety-inducing purely due to the fact that it is an event many people have dreamed about from a very young age. This is why I personally found it particularly fantastic that this was, in fact, a vanilla wedding cake, as this is considered by many to be the classic and traditional flavour. Personifying this classic flavour as a character who is a very orthodox and traditional thinker made sense, but also allowed a sort of commentary on how more old-fashioned thinkers view new weddings and traditions. This character has a hilarious major meltdown as Meg and her partner opt for a red velvet cake instead of the traditional vanilla, which was brilliant to watch as the solo performer exaggerated this meltdown to the nth degree, having the audience in hysterics throughout. On top of this, they also have another tantrum when Meg shares some of the ‘activities’ she and her fiancé have gotten up to prior to the ceremony, which went directly against the historically religious beliefs about marriage.
The sad reality, however, is that despite actually encountering this range of larger-than-life characters throughout her own wedding journey, Meg’s special day was not at all what she had envisioned. For many people, a larger-than-life destination wedding is a dream you have from a very young age, but in classic theatre style, Meg’s wedding did not go to plan as she was forced to navigate extreme weather conditions and a sudden outbreak of cold sores. She includes these experiences within the show itself to add even more honesty and relatability to the idea that weddings (and the traditions around them) are not always what we dream of.
In conclusion, Bride To Be by Meg Millane is a fun-filled exploration of the experience of getting married and, in particular, the traditions and expectations forced upon women even today. Meg is able to bounce around the stage with endless energy as she brings a series of hilarious impressions of the stereotypes of people (such as DJs, relatives and even the wedding cake itself) you will experience when going through the wedding journey yourself. Meg draws upon her own incredible dance talents and her recent wedding adventures to create a highly relatable, educational and hilarious show that will leave you thinking about weddings as a concept and their traditions, while also considering your own future plans. I would rate this show 5 out of 5 stars!
Rhysreviews 