Malmaison Hotels Become Wedding Day Drama Scene
A wedding, like all family dramas, is a mess of emotions, tantrums, and tears - it seems nothing short of normal for the perfect day. Daphna Attias and Terry O'Donovan's site-specific play "I Do", which has been reprised at several Malmaison hotels, including this one in London as part of the Barbican's Scene Change season, brings that emotional chaos to life.
Audience members are divided into groups and take turns between six rooms, each capturing a different moment before Georgie (Carla Langley) and Tunde (Dauda Ladejobi)'s wedding ceremony begins. Initially, it seems like an exercise in voyeurism - the usual wedding day tropes abound: bridesmaids dancing on beds, secretive trysts and "call off the wedding" nerves for the bride and groom.
However, as the story progresses, the scenes become increasingly moving and intimate, revealing deep-seated anguish and insecurity. The set design by Jenny Hayton perfectly captures the contrast between the sterile hotel environment and the personal lives of its guests.
Each room brings a new scenario - from an awkward encounter between Georgie's mother, Helen (Johanne Murdock), and her unfaithful ex-husband David (Jonathan McGuinness) to a heartwarming moment of same-sex passion involving the groom. The performances are searing and the direction by Attias is flawless.
The story unfolds gradually, with each room leading seamlessly into the next as the audience pieces together the drama themselves. Even the return of a cleaner, who travels through the corridors in reverse, brings an element of surreal charm to the proceedings.
By the end, almost every character has won you over - it's big, heart-wrenching, ridiculous and wonderful just like any wedding day. "I Do" is an unforgettable experience that will leave you breathless and eager for more.
A wedding, like all family dramas, is a mess of emotions, tantrums, and tears - it seems nothing short of normal for the perfect day. Daphna Attias and Terry O'Donovan's site-specific play "I Do", which has been reprised at several Malmaison hotels, including this one in London as part of the Barbican's Scene Change season, brings that emotional chaos to life.
Audience members are divided into groups and take turns between six rooms, each capturing a different moment before Georgie (Carla Langley) and Tunde (Dauda Ladejobi)'s wedding ceremony begins. Initially, it seems like an exercise in voyeurism - the usual wedding day tropes abound: bridesmaids dancing on beds, secretive trysts and "call off the wedding" nerves for the bride and groom.
However, as the story progresses, the scenes become increasingly moving and intimate, revealing deep-seated anguish and insecurity. The set design by Jenny Hayton perfectly captures the contrast between the sterile hotel environment and the personal lives of its guests.
Each room brings a new scenario - from an awkward encounter between Georgie's mother, Helen (Johanne Murdock), and her unfaithful ex-husband David (Jonathan McGuinness) to a heartwarming moment of same-sex passion involving the groom. The performances are searing and the direction by Attias is flawless.
The story unfolds gradually, with each room leading seamlessly into the next as the audience pieces together the drama themselves. Even the return of a cleaner, who travels through the corridors in reverse, brings an element of surreal charm to the proceedings.
By the end, almost every character has won you over - it's big, heart-wrenching, ridiculous and wonderful just like any wedding day. "I Do" is an unforgettable experience that will leave you breathless and eager for more.
I'm tellin' ya, this "I Do" play is like a bad soap opera - you can't look away! The way they weave all these storylines together, it's like a puzzle, and you're just tryin' to figure out whodunit 
. And the set design? Absolutely genius! I mean, who wouldn't want to watch a scene where Georgie's mom is goin' at it with her ex in a hotel room 
? It's wild, but in a good way...mostly 
. The performances are top-notch too - Carla Langley and Dauda Ladejobi, you're killin' it out there! 
And that cleaner character? What's up with that? Gives me chills every time I think about it 
. All in all, this play is a wild ride from start to finish...I'm obsessed! 
it's like they're not just telling a story, but also creating an immersive experience that makes you feel like you're part of the drama unfolding before your eyes. the fact that each room leads into the next is genius, it's like they're taking you on this wild rollercoaster ride and refusing to let go 
i'm so down for experiencing this at a Malmaison hotel, can you imagine how surreal it'll be walking around those rooms? anyway, i'm definitely adding this to my watchlist ASAP 
the set design is so clever how it captures the hotel's sterile vibe while bringing out the personal drama of the guests 
and omg that cleaner scene at the end is EVERYTHING 
i loved how each room led into the next like a big puzzle and the performances were all so strong 
can't wait to see what she does next...
The way it captures that contrast between the sterile hotel and personal lives... *chef's kiss* 
I was fully invested in their love story by the end, even the character I wasn't rooting for had me feeling something 
. Can we get tickets to another show ASAP? 
it's like they took a normal hotel room and turned it into a character in itself 
but honestly, who knew hotels could be so dramatic? 
. And don't even get me started on the whole "same-sex passion" scene - it feels like something that should be handled with more sensitivity and less shock value 
. I guess what really gets me is how perfect everything seems at first, but then you realize everyone's got their own issues 
. Still, I suppose it's a great way to explore those emotions on stage... as long as they're not gonna make me feel too uncomfortable 
My. God. Carla Langley as Georgie is on point 
and Dauda Ladejobi as Tunde is SO CUTE 
but what really gets me is the tension between Helen and her ex-husband David - it's like, why can't people just be honest with each other?! 
And that cleaner? Mind. Blown. 
and I'm SHOOK 
it's like, you think you know what's gonna happen but then BAM! 
twist alert 
the set design was everything too 
that cleaner character though? reverse walk is my new fave thing 
I'm still reeling from the emotional rollercoaster 
. Overall, I'd say "I Do" is a tour de force of emotional storytelling - it left me spellbound and eager for more!