If it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month or even your year, then it soon will be! ‘Friends! The Musical Parody’ is returning to Brisbane.
Back by popular demand, this hilarious New York and Las Vegas hit is playing from 20-24 July at the Tivoli, Fortitude Valley for one week only.
Produced by SK Entertainment, the production returns to the iconic venue, after being last performed in August 2021. Mega ‘Friends’ fans will be able to hit play on another season of the comedy musical, which notoriously relives moments from the hit NBC sitcom.
Joey Tribbiani actor, Conor Putland, says he feels honoured to be part of the popular show and is excited to be performing in his home state.
“‘Friends’ fans are on an entirely different level and there are moments when the laughter never ends,” said Putland.
“It is awesome to come back to the sunshine and the warm (Queensland audiences).”
‘Friends! The Musical Parody’ is praised as a night of continuous laughter that “perfectly encapsulates” the NBC sitcom based around 20-something friends, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, and Ross, as they navigate work, life, and love in Manhattan.
“‘Friends’ is arguably the best sitcom ever made… I absolutely love stepping into Joey’s shoes and donning the leather jacket,” said Putland.
“We did a tonne of research and analysis of each of the characters and found their vocal, physical, and emotional quirks. Matt LeBlanc has quite an iconic voice and mannerisms, which made it a fun challenge to adapt to my own voice.”
Conor Putland stars as Joey, alongside Maverick Newman as Chandler and Tyran Stig as Ross. Credit Oliver Toth.
We Were on a Break!
While the actors face the challenge of portraying such well-known characters, the coronavirus pandemic is proving to be another “Oh My God” test.
Delayed by lockdowns in 2021, the show’s national tour was forced to reschedule multiple live performances and extend seasons to match audience demand.
“Some audience members have had their tickets for quite a while, so we are excited to bring them a fun night out at the theatre,” said Putland.
“Creating theatre after a tumultuous couple of years is surreal.”
But lockdowns may not be a thing of the past. The increasing community transmission across the country has meant that the cast and crew of any upcoming productions are far more likely to contract the virus and take the show down with them.
“The way we see it, if COVID were a person, it would be Janice,” reads a press release from June 2021.
Could that BE any more accurate!
Regardless, the cast and crew of ‘Friends! The Musical Parody’ are getting off the plane and transporting Brisbane audiences back to the nostalgic 90s.
“We’ll be there for them as we laugh, cry and smile, and remember exactly why we love ‘Friends’,” said Putland.
The ‘90s television series itself has enjoyed a revival in recent years, with the original cast reappearing on a reunion special available now on Binge Australia.
However, ‘Friends! The Musical Parody’ marks a unique experience to witness the hilarity of the series in parody form live on stage. The production performs in Brisbane this weekend before heading to Perth in September and Melbourne in November.
If you’re a Brissie local, don’t miss your chance to reunite with your friends. Pivot to The Tivoli for all the hilarity.
‘Friend! The Musical Parody’ performs until Sunday, 24 July 2022. To book tickets, visit the official ‘Friends! The Musical Parody’ website.
