I Do review – immersive hotel drama as wonderful as a real wedding day

[Big]

Drama Unfolds in a Malmaison Hotel: "I Do" Review

A wedding is often seen as the culmination of all that's been built up to it – the anticipation, the excitement, and the nerves. But what about the moments leading up to it? The tensions, the tantrums, the doubts? These are the questions answered in Dante or Die's poignant site-specific show, "I Do", now reprised at various Malmaison hotels, including this London venue.

The audience is divided into groups and shuttled between six rooms, each representing a different moment before the ceremony begins. The setup seems like an exercise in voyeurism at first, but as it progresses, it becomes increasingly moving and intimate, revealing anguish and insecurity that turns what would be a typical wedding day into a world of its own.

Each room brings a new scenario – a heart-wrenching encounter between Georgie's mother and her unfaithful ex-husband; a same-sex passion between the best man and another character – all expertly woven together by writer Chloë Moss. The depth of emotion in these moments is remarkable, particularly in scenes like the one with Georgie's grandparents, where a simple phrase becomes a heart-wrenching expression of love.

The set design by Jenny Hayton perfectly captures both the corporate kitsch and personal detritus of this hotel-wedding world, from rose petals to TCP in the bathroom. The performances are searing, with the direction by Daphna Attias allowing for moments of stillness where emotions evolve between characters, touched upon through looks, touches, and tiny shifts in expression.

While there's a somewhat clichéd element to the show's returning cleaner character, it brings a surreal charm that adds to the overall experience. By the end, you'll care deeply about almost every character – it's big, heart-wrenching, ridiculous, and wonderful just like any wedding day.

What sets "I Do" apart is its willingness to explore the complexities of love in all its forms. It's a nuanced portrayal that turns what could be a shallow exploration of wedding drama into something much deeper. As you leave the hotel, you'll find yourself pondering the intricacies of human relationships and the moments that make us who we are – just as with any truly great wedding day.

 

[Clean Carac]

omg u gotta see this show @ malmaison hotels it's like a whole different world they got 6 rooms set up like different scenes from before the big day & it's SO emotional i was literally crying in the bathroom scene with georgie's grandparents and the performances are on point too writer chloë moss did an amazing job weaving all these crazy moments together and the set design is EVERYTHING it's like a weird mix of corporate hotel vibes & personal stuff but it works?!? what i loved most was how it explores love in all its forms - not just the wedding drama i left feeling all the feels and wondering about human relationships & stuff... anyway, def worth checking out if u can

 

[Street Bomb Rebellion]

This "I Do" show sounds like my aunt's wedding planning session on steroids! All those emotions, all that drama... I mean, who needs a wedding cake when you've got heart-wrenching encounters and TCP in the bathroom? But seriously, it's cool how they're tackling complex love stories. Maybe I'll check it out (if my partner lets me go), but only if there's free wine involved . The fact that each room represents a different moment before the ceremony is like being part of a wild reality TV show – minus the awkwardness, I hope!

 

[Brave Badger]

I think this show is like, totally unique in how it tackles weddings and love - it's not just about the happy couple, but also about all the crazy stuff that happens before they say "I do" . I mean, who hasn't had those moments of doubt or anger or unfaithfulness? It's so real and raw, you can practically smell the anxiety in the air .

And I love how it explores different types of relationships - same-sex, polyamorous, even just friendship - because it shows that love is complicated and messy and beautiful all at once . The set design is also super clever, from the rose petals to the toilet paper... it's like they're commenting on how weddings can be both fancy and gross at the same time .

What really gets me is how it makes you care about these characters, even when they're being total jerks or making stupid decisions - because that's just what people do in real life, right? And the way it all comes together is just masterful. I mean, I was laughing and crying and feeling all the feels, and that's exactly what a great show should do .

I also love how it subverts your expectations of a traditional wedding drama - instead of being all sappy and predictable, it's like this wild rollercoaster ride of emotions. And the ending? Wow... just wow . It's like they're saying, "Hey, weddings are amazing, but they're also messy and complicated and beautiful."

 

[Drug-I]

I'm intrigued by this site-specific show , but I gotta say, it's a bit too sappy for my taste . The setup sounds like an exercise in voyeurism at first, and while I love that it explores the complexities of love in all its forms , some scenes felt a tad too predictable for me . That being said, the performances were top-notch , and the set design was absolute genius . The way they captured the corporate kitsch and personal detritus of the hotel-wedding world was spot on . My only reservation is that it feels a bit too on-the-nose at times, but overall, I'd say it's a big, heart-wrenching, ridiculous, and wonderful show .

 

[Wandering Weevil]

This site-specific show is literally giving me all the feels I love how it takes the typical wedding drama and turns it into something so much more nuanced and complex. The set design is insane, like walking into a real hotel room and getting sucked into their world And the performances? Forget about it, the actors are giving me LIFE I'm not gonna lie, I was a little skeptical at first, but this show really does explore love in all its forms in such a deep way. It's not just some shallow wedding drama, it's a real exploration of human emotions I need to see this again ASAP, stat!

 

[Search for the Outlaw]

I love how "I Do" turns a typical wedding into this wild emotional rollercoaster! The way they weave together these different rooms and characters is so cleverly done, it's like you're living through all the drama yourself . And that set design? Wow, so on point with capturing the corporate feel of those hotels. But what really gets me is how it makes you think about love in all its forms... it's like they say, weddings are supposed to be perfect but they're really just a mix of chaos and beauty . I'm definitely adding this to my list of must-see shows!

 

[Annoyed Addax]

i went to this malmaison hotel show "i do" and it was SO emotional i love how they divided the audience into groups and moved them around different rooms each representing a moment before the ceremony... it felt like you were getting glimpses of these people's lives and struggles, but also their hopes and dreams

the set design was on point, from the rose petals to the bathroom with tcp (i'm not even sure what that is lol) and the performances were SO powerful, i loved how they used just little moments like looks and touches to convey so much emotion

what really struck me was how real it felt, you know? like we've all been there, had those moments of doubt or uncertainty before a big event... it's not always easy to talk about, but this show did

 

[Nosta]

I mean, I was kinda expecting "I Do" to be some sappy rom-com setup, but honestly, it's really more like a nuanced exploration of what makes love (and relationships) so messy and human. They do a great job of breaking down the typical wedding day tropes and getting into all the awkward, emotional stuff that's usually left out. The way they weave together these different storylines is really smart, and I loved how it felt both intimate and voyeuristic at the same time. It's not always easy to watch (some parts were super cringeworthy ), but in a weird way, that's what makes it so real?

 

[Adventurous A]

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." The way these couples are portrayed in "I Do", with their insecurities, desires, and flaws, makes you really connect on a human level. It's not just about the wedding day drama but about the people behind those moments.

 

[Def Jam Pirate Paint]

I just saw this show "I Do" at my friend's Malmaison hotel wedding and it was SO emotional! The way they portrayed the tension and uncertainty leading up to the ceremony was really raw and honest. I loved how each room represented a different moment, like a mini-movie playing out before your eyes. The set design was spot on, from the fancy suits to the gross bathroom mess . And the performances? Wow, it was like they were telling our own wedding stories! I did feel like the cleaner character felt a bit out of place at first, but it added to the weirdness and charm of the whole show. What I loved most was how it explored all the different ways love can go wrong – it's not just about romantic love, you know? It's about family, friendship, and all that in-between too .

 

[Hyper Pogo in Craz]

OMG u gotta see this "I Do" show at Malmaison Hotels ! Its like a wild ride through the ups & downs of wedding prep - from anxiety to passion, it's all here . The set design is SO on point, captures that weird corporate-kitsch vibe perfectly . And the performances? they're searing, especially when emotions are super subtle... its all about those tiny expressions & body language cues . What i love most tho is how it explores all types of love - not just the romantic s**t, but also friendship & family love . Its like a nuanced portrayal of humanity in all its messy glory . Definitely make time for this one if u can!

 

[The Cas]

omg i need to see this show ASAP it sounds like a super emotional rollercoaster but in the best way possible i love how it explores all the complexities of love & relationships, and not just the typical 'perfect' wedding vibes the setup of different rooms is so clever, like you said, its like being a voyeur into these characters lives can't wait to see it live at malmaison hotel!