Casting announced for Worst Wedding Ever

Casting has recently been announced for Worst Wedding Ever, a new play by Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall at the Salisbury Playhouse.

Worst Wedding Ever is a comedy drama set in West Dorset about a mother who, after her daughter’s original wedding plans begin to crumble, enlists the whole family to help make the day one she’ll never forget. With a marquee in the back garden, a hand-me-down dress, the pub band and two fully-functioning Portaloos, surely the day will pass without a hitch?

Carolyn Pickles will play Liz, the mother of the bride, whilst Rosie Wyatt and Rudi Dharmalingam will play the bride and groom, Rachel and Scott. Pickles recently played newspaper editor Maggie Radliffe in Broadchurch and her other numerous credits include Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, May to December and Emmerdale. Wyatt recently appeared in the National Theatre’s international tour of One Man, Two Guvnors and in nabakov and Soho Theatre’s production of Blink. Dharmalingam has performed in The History Boys, both at the National Theatre and on Broadway, as well as in the National Theatre’s productions of Rafta Rafta and England People Very Nice.

The cast also includes Oliver Bennett, Richard Hurst, Martin Hyder, and Rebecca Oldfield as well as Lloyd Gorman, Glyn Kerslake and Christopher Talman who make up the live onstage wedding band.

The production is directed by Salisbury Playhouse’s artistic director, Gareth Machin, with design by James Button, musical supervision by Kate Edgar, lighting by Peter Hunter and sound by Mark Noble.

Chibnall is a stage and television writer who created Broadchurch, the American version of which is currently in production and whose second series which will be filmed later this year. His stage work includes Gaffer! and Kiss Me Like You Mean It which was shortlisted for a Meyer-Whitworth Award.

Salisbury Playhouse is producing Worst Wedding Ever as part of its commitment to commissioning and producing original drama from the south west. Over the coming years it will continue to champion the unique perspective of the region through further productions. Worst Wedding Ever runs at Salisbury Playhouse from Thursday 27 March to Saturday 19 April and is the second production of its Spring 2014 season following Gaslight.

– Kris Hallett