Muriel's Wedding The Musical?

[Younger Brother]

I know there isn't an overwhelmingly positive reaction on here to movies being made into musicals, however, does anyone think this could make a great Shaiman/Wittman musical? Perhaps Jessie Mueller as Muriel and Annaleigh Ashford as Rhonda

[TheGingerBreadMan]

I personally can't see it happening.

[alterego]

The music core of the film was the Abba music...and I think that has been covered now by another show.

[HenryTDobson]

I agree with alterego. They could have used this movie to make the Abba Jukebox musical, but alas, they did not. There's definitely no need for TWO Abba musicals.

This movie is one of my favorites, it's just so ridiculous.

[Mister Matt]

I love the film, but I think it would be far less interesting on stage with a different cast. Sort of like what they did to Priscilla.

[GavestonPS]

It's my favorite movie of all time, but the problem is it was already a musical, if you look at how ABBA is used to advance the characters and plot of the film. (And a helluva lot better musical than MAMMA MIA!)

A collaborator once suggested we adapt THE BIG CHILL. I thought exactly the same thing about that project.

I didn't see the stage PRISCILLA, but I imagine it had the same problem. Did they find a solution?

This isn't to say something musical couldn't be built on Muriel and Rhonda's story, just that it would be a "why?" musical, i.e., one that had nothing to add to its original source. Unless, of course, somebody has some brave, entirely new approach to Porpoise Spit!

[bdn223]

Muriel's Wedding has already been adapted to the stage in a little known musical called Mamma Mia! Although not a direct adaptation the film is the basis for the musical, and the plot was changed just enough so that the producers can get away with not paying royalties. After all their theatrical posters look almost identical.

[Mister Matt]

Muriel's Wedding has already been adapted to the stage in a little known musical called Mamma Mia! Although not a direct adaptation the film is the basis for the musical, and the plot was changed just enough so that the producers can get away with not paying royalties.

Not even close. Mamma Mia was based on Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell. The plots of Muriel's Wedding and Mamma Mia couldn't be more different.

[StageManager2]

Muriel's Wedding is depressing as sh!t. Definitely not feel-good.

.

[GavestonPS]

Matt is right. There is no relation between the plots or characters of MURIEL'S WEDDING (genius) and MAMMA MIA! (rather astonishingly bad considering the fun songs they had to work with).

***

If you don't know MURIEL'S WEDDING, rent it, buy it or steal it from one of your Aussie friends. It is one of the funniest, saddest and yet most romantic films ever made. (No, I don't think the heroines are lesbians. But their friendship is as romantically satisfying as anything from Golden Age Hollywood.)

***

After I posted above, it occurred to me that if an adaptation of MURIEL must be made, somebody should go all out and adapt it as an opera. For once, nobody would complain that the heroine was too fat! (That's a joke and not why I think it could be an opera.)

[GavestonPS]

Mamma Mia was based on Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell.

Was that also the source for CARMELINA?

***

Confidential to Stagemanger2: I don't agree. There is definitely tragedy in MURIEL, but the ending is as uplifting as any film of which I can think.

But I'll admit I recommended the film to my sister and she called me back later and yelled, "What the hell is wrong with you! How could you call that movie a comedy?"

[theatredk]

Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell - Carmelina - Mamma Mia in any version it is painful

[GavestonPS]

theatredk, I didn't think CARMELINA was so bad until it went badly awry halfway through the second act. (Sorry. At the time I could have told you HOW it went wrong, but 30 years have passed.)

Of course, I love Burton Lane, so maybe I was just happy to hear his tunes.

But MAMMA MIA!, oy! I can't think of a musical where I cared less about the story or its resolution (which was lucky since the book sort of forgets the issues it raises in Act I).

[CarlosAlberto]

I love Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell. I never missed an airing of it as a kid. Janet Margolin as the daughter was so, so pretty, sadly she died very young. But yes, MAMMA MIA! is most certainly based on this film and not Muriel's Wedding.