YOU SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FRIENDS... OR SHOULD YOU?

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

 

A story of love, loss, break ups and breakdowns… everything you’d expect from a Wedding Present song… the show tells the story of 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.

 

Reception is set in and around Leeds in the late 1980s and will be presented before a mixture of cabaret style seating - with ‘wedding guests’ enjoying, amongst other things, a glass of fizz on arrival and a three course meal - as well as more traditional raked seating.

 

The Wedding Present were originally formed in 1985 in Leeds and 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 including The Fall, Buzzcocks and Gang of Four to more varied forms. Throughout their career, they have been led by vocalist and guitarist David Gedge, the band's only constant member.

 

The Wedding Present has accumulated a total of eighteen singles in the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart, including a historic run of twelve singles – one for each month – in the year of 1992, which tied with Elvis Presley's record for most top 40 hits in a single year.

 

Cinerama was formed by Gedge in 1998 and have released a number of singles and albums that were significantly different in musical style to his other band concentrating on cinematic / soundtrack style arrangements. 

 

The idea of a musical based around David’s songs had been brewing for writer and director Matt Aston (Touched by Stephen Lowe with Vicky McClure, Bomber’s Moon by William Ivory with James Bolam and Oleanna by David Mamet with Alistair McGowan) over several years. Matt met Tony Ereira (Director of Leeds based record labels Come Play With Me & Clue Records) - inevitably at a Wedding Present gig - in Leeds, in early 2019, and the idea of getting the play off the ground started to take shape.

 

Reception will premiere in Leeds in 2025 - the 40th Anniversary of the Wedding Present and their debut single ‘Go Out And Get ‘Em, Boy’ - and will feature songs from across the band's 40 year career, Cinerama’s back catalogue as well as a fantastic new song.