Freaky Friday The Musical, Home Manchester Review
Rebecca Lock and Jena Pandya in Freaky Friday The Musical. Photo by Mark Senior
Written by Roby for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
I know what you’re thinking… another screen to stage adaptation… is it really necessary? Well, yes. Freaky Friday is pure theatrical joy; it’s a Disney Channel movie come to life and receives a well-executed UK premiere at HOME Manchester this December.
The show, which is based on the beloved 1972 novel by Mary Rodgers and the hit Disney films, is well-paced and energised from the start. The score is packed with earworms that are all sung brilliantly by the cast, who are all extremely talented vocalists. The score typically sticks to classic, cheesy, contemporary musical theatre, which suits the show well. Occasionally, it also dabbles in some other genres associated with musical theatre. For example, the blues number “Bring My Baby (Brother) Home” in Act 2 is a particular standout and provides a nice contrast.
One particular vocal standout is the insanely talented Rebecca Lock (Katherine), who simply excels in everything she does. Her voice is so easy on the ear, and her acting is brilliant, truly encapsulating how a teen would feel in their parents’ body. Locke is simply marvellous and a true standout in this production. Her ballad “After All Of This And Everything” is a perfectly timed, poignant moment that is genuinely both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.
Alongside Locke is the brilliant Jena Pandya (Ellie), who also plays the role very well. Pandya’s voice is strong, and my eyes were always drawn to her when she was dancing. However, Pandya does not take to the challenge of being in another body as easily to begin with. The character of Katherine seems to immediately be comfortable in Ellie’s body, which doesn’t quite fit right. I’m not sure if this is a fault of Pandya or of the direction, but it quickly passed by as once Katherine (in Ellie’s body) reached school, things became very awkward and very funny.
The comedy within this show is a joy to watch. Andy Fickman’s direction is brilliant; it feels as if this show was almost made for him. He always excels in screen to stage adaptation. My only problem is that the first hourglass transition is just not big enough, and for such a key moment of the show is quite underplayed and overchoreographed, lacking naturalism and any sort of wow factor. Nevertheless, Fickman’s witty direction means the show has some very funny moments that don’t have to be funny, but are (for example, the “Adam” sequences that are just hilarious). This is the joy of Andy Fickman’s direction, and he truly puts his stamp on this show.
READ MORE: In Rehearsals With UK Premiere of Disney’s Freaky Friday Musical
Alongside Fickman, musical director George Strickland, and choreographer Alexzandra Sarmiento have produced an incredibly tight-knit show that is pure musical theatre escapism. The choreography is slick and very well executed, and the musical direction is great - hats off to the talented band of six who play the entire score with ease. The set and costume design by David Shields complement the show brilliantly, too. There is effective use of double-sided set pieces to quickly change between school and home, which work really well. All technical and production elements of this show have come together to create something truly special, and the same can be said for the cast - there is not a single weak link. “Busted”, “Oh, Biology” and “Today and Ev’ry Day” were some of my favourite moments, but in general the music (Tom Kitt), lyrics (Brian Yorkey) and book (Bridget Carpenter) are all great, and a true strength of this show.
Overall, the UK premiere of Freaky Friday is a hit! It’s comedic, full of life, and genuinely heartwarming. Even on a rainy Monday evening, it still manages to give the audience that Friday feeling. I’d recommend this to any and all this festive season - it’s a must-see.
Freaky Friday the Musical plays at Home Manchester until 10 January 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
