"It's one of those things – you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family. You may choose not to speak to them, but you have to invite them to your wedding.”
So says Matthew Barksby, who plays jealous ex-boyfriend Gregorio in the touring UK production of Anthony J Wilkinson’s word-of-mouth off-Broadway hit My Big Gay Italian Wedding.
“Literally the minute you walk into the theatre you are guests at the wedding, and you feel like you’ve known this family for years and years.
“It’s like Peter Kay’s Uncle ****head – the wedding brings the psychos out, the crazy uncle you don’t see forever. When they come along to the wedding they think it’s all really funny and do inappropriate things at inappropriate times – and the family remembers why they don’t speak to them!
“Just like a real wedding, there are touching moments and really poignant moments.”
This UK licensed production from Paul Taylor-Mills and Lillie Collier ran for three weeks in Edinburgh last year, and will be on tour across the country following its Brighton debut.
The original play was inspired by people Wilkinson knew – and he revealed more about them when he dropped in on the cast during a series of preview shows in Jersey.
“We have seen pictures of the real people we are supposed to be based on,” says Barksby.
“He developed them into characters and put them into the wedding situation.”
Similar to the play’s origins the production is performed in Italian American accents, and keeps most of the US references intact.
The only change from the Edinburgh performances is the loss of one character because of a lack of space on the minibus.
The play comes to Brighton at a particularly appropriate time after American president Barack Obama came out in support of gay marriage.
“As much as we would want it to be a gay marriage, it has to be a civil partnership in the UK,” says Barksby.
“With the play you have to take it at face value – they are two men joined in holy matrimony. “There isn’t a political message in the play – it’s us having a lot of fun.”
Look out for the wedding guests at this weekend’s Fringe City too.
In Edinburgh they staged a stag night with the cast walking along the Royal Mile in pink tutus and pink visors – so who knows what to expect in the stag and hen capital of the South Coast...
Komedia, Gardner Street, Brighton, Saturday, May 19, to Monday, May 21
Starts Sat and Sun 3pm, Sun 5pm, Mon 8pm, tickets £10/£8. Call 01273 917272.
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