Friends - The Musical Parody

FRIENDS! The Musical Parody at Milton Keynes Theatre is a highly entertaining, affectionate pastiche that will delight fans even when it occasionally wobbles. Eva Hope and Alicia Belgrade were particularly impressive — their Rachel and Monica impersonations captured mannerisms and comic timing in a way that felt lovingly accurate rather than merely impressionistic. Edward Leigh’s take on Gunther was the evening’s highlight, especially when he sang a parody from The Little Mermaid which was brilliant.

The show skips through key scenes from across the ten seasons of Friends, knitting them into a fast moving montage without recreating every moment. Creatively, it leans on adapted numbers from well-known musicals — a tango riff on Chicago to puncture Ross-and-Rachel angst landed brilliantly, and a Rent pastiche at the close had the audience laughing.

There are plenty of little Easter eggs for superfans, and the production is smart enough to update or wink at jokes that haven’t aged well, never taking itself too seriously.

Pacing is brisk and the ensemble work is solid, though not every gag hit its mark; the humour is broad by design.

Overall it’s a nostalgic, good-humoured night out — perfect for anyone who loves the TV series and fancies a musical-shaped walk down memory lane.