Story by Katherine Fawcett | Images by Joern Rohde
Of course, all the expected wedding traditions are here: vows, the exchange of rings, the first dance, and speeches that start heartfelt and drift gloriously off the rails. There’s also a drunken maid of honour, someone’s questionable ex, plenty of gossip, and the sort of secret-spilling that can change lives. The ensemble’s sharp improv skills keep the energy crackling.
From the moment I arrived at the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa for Shazza-Lee and Doyle McDooly’s (Ellen Rogerson and Jonny Fleet) Whistler-themed big day, the line between audience and wedding party quickly dissolved. Performers roamed the room, pulling guests into the festivities with ease. One minute I was settling in for a divine three-course meal at the Hilton’s new L’Apres Lounge; the next I was being asked how long I’d known the groom, squeezing the biceps of best man and irresistible dolt Bron (Brandon Barrett) and watching sloshed maid of honour Bambi Cocksmith (Susan Hutchinson) aggressively flirt with my date (something I’m still processing).
Meanwhile, Mrs. McDooly (Myrna Iaconetti-Bush), the groom’s raucously disapproving mother from Dildo, Newfoundland, has a side-eye that could curdle champagne. Holding it all together is the charming and patient emcee and wedding officiant, Val (Rachel Lewis), who somehow steers the evening from romantic to awkward to hilarious to sweet.
Seated at shared tables, locals and tourists become wedding guests, quickly bonding over laughter and the delicious meal. Laugh Out LIVE!’s Ira Pettle and Rebecca Mason’s comedic chops are all over this production. “The show is interactive, human to human fun. Childlike, silly, and playful in nature,” said Pettle after the show’s third night.
It’s a show for both first-time Whistler visitors and long-time locals, says Pettle. “Bringing those demographics together, sharing a table, laughing, sharing the experience — that’s where the real magic happens.”
Warm, interactive, and wonderfully ridiculous, A Whistler Wedding delivers everything you’d hope for at a wedding celebration: laughter, surprises, great food, love — and at least one bridesmaid you probably shouldn’t trust around your date.
If you are looking for a unique, only-in-Whistler comedy experience, this show is not be missed. A Whistler Wedding runs on Saturdays from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Hilton until May 3. Reservations are required. Tickets at laughoutlive.com.
