By Melanie Adams. (AKA Ken Adams).
It’s the one where they make a musical parody of arguably the most iconic show of the 90s.
And I have to admit, as a huge fan of the series, I almost gave this a miss because surely it would be as disastrous as Rachel making trifle at Thanksgiving?!
But Oh. My. God. Could I BE more wrong?
I can honestly say that I did a full pivot on this one and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
It was step-on-your-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic!
Anyone like me, who has watched this series endlessly over the years and still quotes the show daily, must see Friends! The Musical Parody, currently showing at Mayflower Theatre.
I know what you’re thinking, it couldn’t be anything but hopeless, and awkward and desperate for love, but that is all a ‘moo’ point.
It is an incredibly clever montage of all the show’s best bits, which when you think about it, is a hugely overwhelming task in itself given that there are 236 episodes, over ten series to pick content from.
Those iconic moments are weaved into a musical of entertaining original songs, all giving a nod to different elements of the show and getting the audience involved. A warning though, that it does require a reasonable knowledge of the series to fully appreciate all its quirks and keep up with the pace of it all.
I admit, it did take a few moments to get my head around the fact that it wasn’t the ‘real’ Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe up there, but this cast of actors have studied their subjects so well, nailing so many of their mannerisms, the obvious ones and the more subtle ones, that it didn’t take long to be won over by them. These aren’t just cheap impersonations, they are carefully crafted celebrations of each character.
As a fan you also need to let go of the chronology of the storylines, but that isn’t difficult because by the end you are just totally immersed and accepting of it all and they make great use of the interval tying it in with the ‘we were on a break’ storyline to cram even more of our favourite bits in.
Their singing voices were incredible and it wasn’t just the legendary lines that hit all the right notes, it was the costumes, the set and prop details too – even Gladys got a moment on stage – which I think are really important if you want to win over the hardcore fanbase that this series has.
It was those finer details which proved that the production was really serious about getting it right for the fans and giving us a true hit of feel-good nostalgia – to the point where I almost got a little emotional at the end!
There were some hilarious cameos from some of the much-loved recurring characters and I won’t ruin the surprises by sharing them all. However, one of my favourite parts was the ‘Part of their Gang’ solo from Gunther, set to a tune very reminiscent of the Little Mermaid’s ‘Part of Your World’. Again, it was the detail they went to, in choosing one of the most memorable Disney songs from the same era, that I think really connects with this audience.
The only minor criticism I do have is how the Janice character pronounces ‘God’ in her most famous catchphrase. She said it with an emphasised New York twang which didn’t match the way she said it on the show and even if that was intentional, it was the only thing that stuck out for me given how important that line is. But that’s me just being really picky!
It would obviously be impossible to cram every plot line in there and everyone will have a favourite bit that doesn’t get referenced, however I can’t help thinking that squeezing in Ross playing the keyboard at the very end would have been a quick win to pay homage to his infamous musical skills.
Somehow this production manages to find that perfect balance of creating a beautiful and funny tribute for fans, that makes fun of the series but in a way that celebrates what we all love about it. You could say it is a love letter to the show, all 18 pages, front and back, but you definitely won’t fall asleeeeeeep.
So now you know, that I know, that they know, that they have a hit show on their hands for any Friends fan and if you need someone to go with, I’ll be there for you!
Tickets for FRIENDS! The Musical Parody (Tuesday 6– Saturday 10 January 2026) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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