INVITATION TO A WEDDING RECEPTION to be Presented at The Warehouse

Perfect Blue Productions and Engine House Theatre will present Reception: The Wedding Present Musical, written and directed by Matt Aston, featuring the songs of David Gedge, Cinerama & The Wedding Present. Performances will run from  Fri 22 August to Sat 6 September 2025.

Reception: The Wedding Present Musical is a new musical by Matt Aston inspired by and featuring the songs and music of David Gedge and his bands The Wedding Present and Cinerama.

The premiere of the show this summer at The Warehouse at Holbeck coincides with the 40th anniversary of The Wedding Present and their debut single Go Out and Get 'Em Boy.

The Wedding Present has charted a total of 18 singles in the top 40 of the UK singles chart, including an historic run of 12 singles -one for each month in 1992, which tied with Elvis Presley's record for most top 40 hits in a single year.

The band was formed at Leeds University in 1985, and were part of the 1980s indie music scene that Prime Minister Keir Starmer talked about when he studied at the university in the mid-1980s. Leeds-born David Gedge and the band are still touring and releasing new music today.

The band's music has evolved from fast-paced indie rock in the vein of their most obvious influences The Fall, Buzzcocks and Gang of Four to more varied forms. Throughout their career Wedding Present have been led by Leeds-born vocalist and guitarist David Gedge, the band's only constant member.

David Gedge said : "When Matt approached me with the idea of a Wedding Present musical, to say that I was surprised would be something of an understatement. I'd never previously imagined my songs being in a musical, but I was intrigued.

"That being said, I'm a big fan of ABBA and loved how their songs were used in Mamma Mia, and I'm always keen to try out new ideas. I know that the team have worked hard and am really excited to see the finished product."

Reception: The Wedding Present Musical is the story of love, loss, break-ups and breakdowns ... everything you'd expect from a Wedding Present song. The show is based around a group of Leeds University friends who keep in touch over five years of trials, tribulations and life events including a graduation ceremony, a funeral, a wedding and, of course, the accompanying reception.

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