Last night, I headed to press night for FRIENDS The Musical Parody at 
Milton Keynes Theatre – and honestly, could I be any happier about it?
If you’re a die-hard fan of Friends, this is an absolute must-see. From the opening moments to the final bow, the show cleverly takes us on a whistle-stop tour of all ten seasons, with a clear beginning, middle and end. We start with just five friends, before Rachel famously bursts in after her wedding day disaster – a former college pal of Monica’s, suddenly living the Central Perk dream. From there, we grow up with them: careers, relationships, heartbreaks, and eventually starting to drift into different chapters of life. Rachel nearly goes to Paris (again!), only to realise it’s Ross she wants, Monica and Chandler take the ultimate leap into engagement, and Joey… well, Joey is still Phoebe’s back-up (as he should be). Along the way, the show is packed with references that fans will adore – the duck and the chick waddling into Joey’s life, Marcel the Monkey making a very unique appearance, and Janice popping up throughout with her unmistakable laugh. Comedy gold. Absolute gold.
The cast may be small, but they are mighty. Phoebe Buffay, played by Amelia Atherton, leans fully into the musical side of Phoebe, with her quirky energy and off-beat charm feeling strikingly familiar. Monica Geller (Alicia Belgrade) is the obsessive clean freak we know and love – unlucky in love, fiercely loyal, and firmly rooted in her always-open apartment where everyone just… walks in. Her brother Ross Geller, played by Enzo Benvenuti, is the passionate (and often painful) palaeontologist madly in love with Rachel, with the show leaning heavily – and hilariously – into “We Were On A Break!”. Watching the Ross and Rachel on-off saga unfold genuinely transported me straight back to shouting at my TV, begging them to just sort it out. Joey Tribbiani (Ronnie Burden) is pure Joey – wannabe actor, lovable ladies’ man, and yes, he could be wearing any more clothes. I warmed to him just as much as I did in the original series, helped along by the brilliantly placed song “How You Doin’?”. Rachel Green, played perfectly by Eva Hope, is gorgeous, slightly ditsy, and effortlessly magnetic – with Ross facing stiff competition from Gunther and the Italian love god Paolo, who somehow stumbles into the apartment. Running throughout the show are brilliant running gags about Gunther, who never quite gets a punchline and is desperate to be part of the FRIENDS inner circle – you can’t help but root for him and love the character even more for it. While everyone was fantastic, my two standouts were Chandler Bing (Daniel Parkinson), who absolutely nailed the delivery, mannerisms and timing – it felt spot-on – and Edward Leigh, who warms up the audience and plays multiple roles throughout the show (no spoilers!). He is funny, engaging, wildly talented, and a real scene-stealer.
The staging is simple but incredibly effective – classic Friends brought to life. The set adapts easily between scenes and flows seamlessly, never slowing the pace. The music is brilliant, with songs woven perfectly into the storyline, hitting all the nostalgic high points: PIVOT, We Were On A Break, OMG It’s Janice, and The Ballad of Fat Monica had the audience in stitches. There’s even a clever nod to how much the actual cast earned during the TV run. It’s smart, self-aware, and laugh-out-loud funny – but fair warning, you do need to have watched Friends to fully appreciate the jokes and chaos. This was my first time seeing a show like this, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but it completely won me over. Huge congratulations to the entire cast and crew for bringing such an iconic TV series to the stage, and credit to director Michael Gyngell for making it work so brilliantly. Friends is my ultimate comfort watch – my go-to on bad days and a loyal companion during maternity leave – so seeing it celebrated like this felt extra special. If you love Friends, fancy a proper laugh, and want a big hit of nostalgia, book now – it’s on until Saturday 17th January.
Could I be any more in love with this production?!❤️
Note - Age guidance: 13+ Contains flashing lights, haze, confetti, loud noises, sexual references, and adult humour.
