Exclusive: Muriel’s Wedding musical announces lead casting

Lead casting has been announced for the UK premiere of Muriel’s Wedding the Musical.

The Made at Curve production, a collaboration between Leicester and Global Creatures in association with Sydney Theatre Company, is based on the beloved 1994 film of the same name.

The musical celebrated its world premiere in 2017 in Sydney, winning numerous awards including five Helpmann Awards and seven Sydney Theatre Awards. The story follows Muriel, who dreams of the perfect wedding but is stuck in a dead-end life in Porpoise Spit. She moves to Sydney, finds unexpected success, and discovers the importance of being true to oneself.

The musical features a book by the film’s writer and director PJ Hogan, with music and lyrics by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall, as well as additional songs by ABBA’s Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson.

Leading the Curve production next spring as Muriel Heslop will be Megan Ellis, whose recent credits include Spring Awakening at Frogmore Paper Mill and Careen at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. She said today: “This is such a ‘pinch me’ moment – Muriel’s Wedding is one of my favourite films of all time and I could not be more excited to be working with such an incredible team and playing Muriel herself in this UK premiere at Curve!”

Joining Ellis in the show will be Annabel Marlow, who originated the role of Katherine Howard in Six at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017. Marlow will take on the role of Rhonda Epinstal.

Speaking of the casting, Curve’s chief executive Chris Stafford and artistic director Nikolai Foster said: “Curve has a solidrecord of celebrating upcoming actors on the cusp of big things, making debuts in leading roles with us here in Leicester. We are thrilled Megan Ellis is making her Curve bow in the iconic role of Muriel Heslop. Megan’s comic brio is matched with her electrifying voice and she is joined by the equally sensational Annabel Marlow as Rhonda. Together, they lead a tremendous company in this all-singing, all-dancing celebration of finding the courage to be your authentic self.”

It is directed by Simon Phillips and choreographed by Andrew Hallsworth. Set design is by Matthew Kinley (Les Misérables), costume design by Gabriela Tylesova (Love Never Dies), projection design by Andrzej Goulding (Starlight Express), lighting design by Natasha Chivers (Sylvia) and sound design by Adam Fisher (Evita). Isaac Hayward, who won the Helpmann Award for Best Musical Direction in 2018 for the show, joins as musical supervisor. Casting is by Stuart Burt.

The show will run from 10 April to 10 May 2025.

You can read our exclusive interview with Phillips and Hallsworth here.