The second you take something brilliant, nay culturally iconic, and, in marketing speak, seek to ‘extend the product lifecycle’, therein lies the slippery slope to failure.

However, throw in some music and add one word at the end of your product and you almost get away with it: and so it is with FRIENDS! The Musical Parody.

Full of the usual suspects, Phoebe, Monica, Ross, Joey, Rachel and Chandler, Bob and Tobly McSmith’s book and lyrics, bolstered by Assa Gleizner’s score, borrows heavily from the 236 episode, 10-season TV original and, in doing so, does something few other touring shows do: packs ‘em to the rafters!

And that’s because the sitcom, Friends – featuring a tight-knit group of buddies living in Manhattan - three girls and three guys – each navigating the complexities of adulthood whilst relying on each other for support, was central to the lives of a generation of 20 somethings for a decade between 1994 and 2004, when six of the biggest emerging acting talents in the world went on to each pocket $1m an episode such was their popularity.

But to bring those tv names to the stage – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and David Schwimmer being a case in point – is like trying to deliver Basil without Cleese, Porridge without Barker or Rising Damp without Rossiter: at best it will only ever be a copy unless you seek to do something different.

And, in fairness, that’s what Friends! The Musical Parody has sought to do to in a bid to extend and spice up what’s already gone and has been extensively documented in every format, from Channel Four to Netflix, books to merchandise and even London Excel’s The Friends Experience.

At the Alhambra, Bradford, it was the chance for six newbies to step into the shoes of their more famous doppelgangers, and what a splendid job they all did, each clearly having studied their character namesakes: mannerisms, nuances and habits to boot: brilliant!

And, while each are to be applauded – and they were, extensively by a rapturous audience of fans – top marks to Edward Leigh, who played a raft of small cameo parts, proving himself to be the perfect link man throughout.

Over the years I have dipped in and out of Friends, however, to call myself an avid watcher would be an over statement. But, that didn’t prevent me from enjoying the overall fun of this p**s taking parody piece even if I did not get every gag. That said, if you know the series and the characters, you will, no doubt, get a lot from this show.

It is run like a tv studio ‘live filming’ event and cleverly uses the real audience as the tv audience, hence whey the show opens with Edward Leigh as the Warm Up Guy.

There’s the Central Perk coffee bar, the iconic sofa, the fight over the last remaining condom and lots of nifty one liners: Ross: ‘The last chick I picked up is now seeing another chick.”

If you’re a fan, go, you’ll love it but, if you’re not, save your money and wait for the next musical that is not requiring of tv series adulation in order to have total understanding!

FRIENDS! The Musical Parody
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
Until Saturday 31st Jan 2026