Fat Friends – The Musical at the New Alexandra Theatre Birmingham Review

Reviewed by Cate Norris

Kay Mellor’s Fat Friends has burst onto the stage following the huge success of the TV series. Set in present day Headingley, against a backdrop of shop fronts, we learn of the trials and tribulations faced by the characters, as a new diet takes over the town. The chips are really down for disgruntled chip shop owner Fergus (Kevin Kennedy) who can’t compete with the growing number of eateries in the area, and his customers’ constant dieting affecting business. ‘Nobody wants big and battered anymore’ he groans, not even his introverted wife Betty (Sam Bailey), who is an avid member of the diet club Super Slimmers. Add to the plate the fact that vivacious daughter Kelly (Jodie Prenger) is due to get married in six weeks but can’t fit into her dream dress (they only go up to a size 16) and incredibly dopey but loveable fiancé Kevin (Andrew Flintoff) has lost his job, it seems things can’t get any worse. Until that is, Kelly is offered a solution to the dress dilemma and family money problems by founder of Super Slimmer diet, Julia (Natasha Hamilton), who appears to have a permanent bad taste in her mouth and a look of utter disgust, as she looks down on all people and everything, but comically lacks the grace or elocution to match this air of self-importance. Nonetheless when Julia offers to pay for the entire wedding and assign the support of local slimming club guru and people pleaser Lauren (Natalie Anderson), if Kelly fits into the dress, the offer is too tempting to resist.

Pure joy was brought, in highlighting the comedy of public weigh-ins, and concern slimmers have over being caught ‘cheating’, as well as advice from slimming gurus, such as ‘sometimes when you feel hungry you’re just thirsty!’ Such advice was received with a no holds barred response and still has me chuckling now when I think back to some of the hilarious lines. Casting was spot on for this show with every actor nailing their parts. This is the first time I have seen Jodie Prenger perform, but as I haven’t been living under a rock, I haven’t missed the hype surrounding her at the moment. With her genuine approach, astounding capacity to portray emotion and astonishing vocal ability, it’s easy to see why Prenger’s reputation precedes her.

A musical simply wouldn’t be a musical without a huge score and Fat Friends well and truly steps up to the plate. Although, being composed by Nick Lloyd Webber (son of Andrew Lloyd Webber) we expect nothing less than a full range of toe tapping, highly emotive songs. Songs such as Big and Battered and Diets Are Crap, bring a huge dose of humour and are guaranteed to have you giggling, but are perfectly balanced against tear jerkers such as Beautiful and If You Don’t Want to Marry Him, which are sure to leave you with a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye!

Kay Mellor’s first musical is a feast of pure indulgence, and I am keeping everything crossed for more to come. Go and see it, if you miss it you’ll miss out! A big fat five stars.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from £16.50 to £63 (no booking fees).

Fat Friends – The Musical is at the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham from 3-7 April 2018, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/birmingham or call the box office on 0844 871 3011.

New Alexandra Theatre, Suffolk Queensway, Birmingham, West Midlands, B5 4DS