Stepping into HOME last night felt like the perfect remedy for a grey Manchester Monday. I was there to see Freaky Friday, and honestly, being transported into such a complex, exciting world for a couple of hours was exactly what I needed.
I took my sister, who is a massive Disney lover but hasn’t seen the story in years, and watching her face light up was half the fun. To be truthful, I was never totally in love with the film as a kid. If you go in expecting the movie verbatim, you won’t get that here. What you get instead is something that feels much better. It is a brilliant adaptation that keeps the body-swap fun but isn’t afraid to dig into the messy stuff: the strained relationship between a mother and daughter, the lingering pain of losing a parent, and the sheer chaos of just being a teenager.
The whole thing lives or dies on the two leads, and the chemistry here was spot on. Rebecca Lock, who plays the mum, Katherine, has this incredible West End CV, but she looked happiest when she was slouching around the stage acting like a sullen teen. Opposite her, Jena Pandya was fantastic as the daughter, Ellie. She managed to make the frustration of being a sensible adult trapped in a kid’s body feel very real, and their connection really anchored the show.
The energy around them was infectious, too. Max Mirza was charming as the love interest, Adam, and the friendship dynamic with Beth Savill and Samantha Ho provided some genuinely funny moments. Every teen story needs a villain, and Jessica Butterworth was perfectly intimidating as the ‘mean girl’ Savannah.
It also felt nice to see new talent coming through; Ellie Gilbert-Grey made a very confident professional debut. On the other end of the spectrum, you had Ian Virgo working incredibly hard, juggling three different characters including the fiancé, Mike, without missing a beat.
My sister absolutely loved it, and even as someone who was sceptical about the original film, I was won over. The music is top-loaded with great numbers that you will actually hum on the way home. It is a fun, surprisingly touching night out that feels just right for this time of year.
James Richardson for Canal St Media