FRIENDS! The Musical Parody at Theatre Royal Nottingham Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Lindsay Burton
“Friends! The Musical Parody” brings the beloved characters of the hit 1990s sitcom Friends back to life in a fast-paced, witty stage production. This lively musical is currently showing at the Nottingham Theatre Royal and exactly like the series, celebrates the iconic group of six friends—Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe—as they grow up, sharing their experiences in love, friendship, and adulthood in Manhattan. It honestly is a whistle stop tour through the 236 episodes of best TV series I have ever watched – and I still watch it now!
From the moment the curtain rises, the production sets a playful tone. I was glad to see that the show doesn’t try to retell the story of Friends in a traditional sense, which is something I didn’t want – I didn’t want to change my views and feelings in any way. What it did however delivery was a parody full of musical numbers, pop culture nods, and hilarious references to some of the best episodes. The songs were cleverly written to take digs at some of the golden threads running through all the series episodes – Ross’s divorces, Joey’s acting career, Phoebe’s quirky songs, and Chandler’s sarcasm, as some examples. I have watched and rewatched the series episodes many times so easily spotted the countless Easter eggs woven into the musical numbers but I attended the show with my daughter who has never watched a single episode (just getting to the right age for that) and she still enjoyed the evening.
I absolutely commend the cast selection. The way the performers have managed to take on the quirks and personalities of the original characters was done with absolute perfection – and it did also help a little that the hair, make-up and costumes were absolutely on point. Enzo Benvenuti captured Ross’s awkwardness and mannerisms while Daniel Parkinson was the most perfect Chandler next the real thing, providing spot-on comedic timing and strong vocal performances and the hand gestures and body movements. Ronnie Burden (Joey), Eva Hope (Rachel Green), Amelia Atherton (Phoebe) and Alicia Belgrade (Monica) absolutely smashed their roles – make up and costumes were identical to our favourite characters but all six of these actors did their roles complete justice by being able to bring the characters familiar attributes to life. Massive shout-out to Edward Leigh – as the warm-up guy / Gunther / Tom Sellek / Paolo / Marcel – absolutely fab entertainer and played every role with lots of enthusiasm.
The choreography was flawless – energetic and well-timed, which was great as this matched the pace of the fast-moving script. The harmonies are brilliant and engaging, and the staging did a great job of the set design – using the familiar locations we often saw on the screen which were mainly Monica’s apartment and the Central Perk coffee shop but there are a couple of others too. There’s a sense of infectious fun that runs through the entire show, with the performers clearly enjoying themselves on stage.
“Friends! The Musical Parody” was a hit for me – I didn’t come with preconceived ideas as I really wasn’t sure what I was walking into. I watched and enjoyed this as a fun and affectionate tribute, filled with in-jokes, larger-than-life character traits, and witty musical numbers. Those familiar with the TV series will likely enjoy spotting references and watching their favourite characters on the stage.
“Friends! The Musical Parody” provides an evening full of laughter, nostalgia, and musical talent. Whether you are a dedicated fan or just out for a fun evening, this musical delivers a lively night out at the theatre. I rate this show as 4/5 and tickets start from £38.50 and be purchased from trch.co.uk
Rating: 4/5