Review: “At the Wedding”

MOORHEAD — “At the Wedding,” a contemporary play written by Bryna Turner, was performed this past weekend at the Frances Frazier Comstock Theatre. The show was an absolutely delightful way to spend my Thursday evening and showcased the diverse array of talented individuals within Concordia’s theatre department. The play had the audience laughing, gasping, and crying by the end of the evening.  

Four of the seven actors were first year students, including Saige Mattson, who played Maria, Kelsi Northom, who played Leigh, Jonah Overby, who played Victor, and Tristin Qualey, who played Eli.  

The lead role of Carlo was played by Beth Odden, a fifth year, and her ex-girlfriend, Eva, was played by Miah Sandvik, a senior. Ellyanna Foner, a sophomore, played Carly.  

The play followed Carlo, a cheeky but ultimately empathetic protagonist, as she tried to survive the night of her ex-girlfriend’s wedding. Throughout the show, the audience traveled with Carlo to different locations at the wedding, from the kid’s table, to the bar, the balcony and finally to the dance floor. 

All of the actors brought their own unique stage presence in their characterization and physicalization, leaving the audience eagerly anticipating the next larger-than-life character that entered the stage.  

Odden’s use of subtle facial expressions, vocal cadence and physicality truly brought the character of Carlo to life. Her jokes landed perfectly every time, causing the audience to erupt in laughter. Similarly, her reactions to the other actors on stage were probably one of the most entertaining aspects of the show.  

While Odden’s comedic abilities were admirable, what really caught my attention was the way they approached the vulnerable side of their character. Carlo’s false bravado is broken towards the latter half of the play after she gets into a fight with her ex-girlfriend Eva.  

From then on, Carlo experiences emotional highs and lows through every scene, from anger, to confusion, to disbelief and absolute brokenness. In one scene, Carlo finally breaks down in the arms of Carly, despite being bitter rivals. Odden masterfully builds up the emotion of the scene by initially refusing Carly’s embrace and sympathy before returning the hug and silently sobbing.  

The other actors in this show were also fantastic, especially considering over half of the cast were first-year students. However, there were a couple of small critiques I had regarding some of the acting. 

Perhaps it was opening night jitters, but the physicality of some of the actors felt a bit stiff.  I wished for bigger and more comedic movements, especially considering the comedic nature of the play. 

On the opposite side of the spectrum, some actors had a different problem. Their vocal inflection felt a bit flat and monotone in some scene beats. This could be chalked up to nervousness as well, but it broke my suspension of disbelief.  

As is typical for Concordia productions, the set was beautifully designed. For the basic set, the stage curtains were decorated with white and pink silk fabric that draped from the curtain rod. A wooden arbor decorated with blush pink roses and vines stood in front of the curtain opening, and acted as the entrance and exit for actors and stagehands. On either side of the arbor, four pillars with matching floral arrangements stood parallel to the curtain.  

Throughout the show, a variety of set pieces were brought on stage to represent different locations within the wedding venue. This included a table laden with serving dishes of real food, a wooden bar counter, a high-top table, a wicker loveseat with fairy lights and a marble bathroom counter with a working sink. Every prop and set piece was flawlessly designed and really helped me visualize the venue at which the wedding was held.  

Some of the audience’s favorite parts of the show were the visual gags that were sprinkled throughout. In one scene, Victor brings out a huge wedding cake that’s almost as tall as he is, and spends a good minute flailing around and trying not to drop the cake. 

In another scene, Eva’s mom, Maria, stops Victor as he walks by with a tray of champagne. Maria takes two glasses off of Victor’s tray, and Carlo takes the other two. Victor visibly judged them both with an arched eyebrow, to the audience’s amusement.  

“At the Wedding” is a slice of life show that paired drama and comedy into a satisfyingly savory play that was excellently executed by director David Wintersteen and everyone else involved. The actors and crew did a fantastic job of portraying their characters and the set, making it a successful show, in my opinion.  

It touched on themes of self-forgiveness, self-love and how we love others. For me, it hit home with the feeling of being unable to repair past mistakes I’ve made, and I’m sure it touched many other audience members in the same way.  

If you missed “At the Wedding,” the classic musical “Guys and Dolls” is performing next month at the Frances Frazier Comstock Theatre, and if it’s as good as “At the Wedding,” it’s a must-see.