Review: FRIENDS. THE UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY at The Kujawsko-Pomorski Music Theatre, Torun

We have seen musical adaptations of movies, books, and real-life events, but have you ever heard of a musical based on a TV show? Well, we have one now! Friends, a legendary sitcom shows us how to cherish our friends, that coffee is good at any time of the day and what paleontology is, today, after all these years, is still a source of inspiration and humor. The fact that this cultural text is still being re-worked proves that it is a work of art and seeing it on a musical stage is so much fun!

For nearly two hours, we witness a juggling of motifs, scenes, and moments we're all familiar with, but laughing at something funny and parodied brings a twisted new value.

The characters aren't exactly like on TV but it's even better. Joey (Jeremiasz Gzyl) is rather clumsy (but still attractive), Chandler (Natan Nogaj) tells unfunny jokes (don't worry, he retains his charm). They are all very convincing in their roles bringing a new look to a well-known game. It's risky to expect to play with such irreplaceable models and they bring a reinterpretation of a well-known model. Pheobe (Oksana Terefenko) is amazing with her fiery, musically bizarre energy with tons of good intentions, caring for someone else's aura. Monica (Malgorzata Regent) is a neurotic, goal-oriented maniac who wants to clean up everything. Ross Maciej Podgorzak) is still looking for love in his own desperate/weird way, and the look on his face makes you feel sorry for him (a second later, you're laughing at him even more). Joey makes you smile with his famous line and constant appetite. Rachel (Agnieszka Brenzak) and Chandler look and act exactly like they do on TV, the more you watch them, the more you wonder: how is this possible? Amazing Nataj Nogaj winks, frowns and even turns his head like Chandler and brilliant Agnieszka Brenzak touches his chair and has this crazy/passionate look in his eyes, just like Rachel. They even look alike!

All the characters, props, and constant references to hilarious elements from the original make this show a joy to watch. Leather pants, smelly cat, poultry, man's handbag, dead mother, it's all there!

This humor unfortunately cannot be translated 1 to 1 and sometimes these jokes in Polish are weak and/or go too far. It was more of the cringy humor of the movie Scream than of Friends, nevertheless the show is a blast.

They are our friends after all! We love these stories and the director Agnieszka Ploszanska rewrites them a bit to make fun of them and play freely with the patterns. Every now and then you remember something you forgot and you rediscover it with such ease. If you add scenography (by Wojciech Stefaniak) that changes in a bling-bling way, fluid, light, and stage movements (both by Michal Cyran) including dancing on the tables, you get great entertainment and in the end, that's the essence of this show. I loved the songs that make up the show's greatest creativity, and they comment on, reinforce, and (again) mock what's happening on stage. These comments are sometimes mean but that's what the parody is about. Also, a great job was done with songs translation (Donata Gierczycka) which is always a super difficult task to do.

Gunter, I haven't forgotten you and your appearance is a great addition to this 6-wheel vehicle. Michal Zacharek is funny and energetic and I love his voice. A special award also goes to Janice who absolutely stole my heart!

Photo: The Kujawsko-Pomorski Music Theatre, Torun

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