Freaky Friday The Musical: Reviews
Photos: Kerry Blakeney-Williams
Originally posted on writeonarts.com
Mary Rodger’s 1972 novel Freaky Friday has been reimagined on film five times in the last fifty years. For their end of year production, Riverlea Theatre under the direction of Jonathan Hawthorn delivered an up-to-date version of the hilarious musical where a mother (Katherine) and her teenage daughter (Ellie) swap bodies the day before Katherine’s second wedding.
I don’t think I’ve ever used the phrase “stole the show” in a review, but I can assure you that Beth Vickers as Katherine stole the show. Vickers is a vocal coach, and it was never in doubt that she had the chops and technique to nail the challenges of the role. It was her embodiment of both characters that sealed the deal as a talented actor.
Kyra-Mae Wilson (Ellie) has been kept super busy over the past few years with musicals at school and at Riverlea Theatre. Her growing performance CV is a testament to her considerable talent and work ethic. Andy Derby (Mike) has become a regular leading man at Riverlea, and he brought the role of doting fiance and soon-to-be stepfather to life. The part of the Fletcher has been shared by two young performers, Theo Johnston and Spencer Keelty. On opening night, Keelty’s voice was melodious and pure. Derby and Keelty played off each other well, proving to be a great collaboration.
Amongst the rest of the cast, Tayla Marie Cassells performance as Hannah was exceptional. Her dance background has given her an incredible sense of spatial awareness, and her knack for pushing the envelope with ludicrous expressions makes her a delight to watch. Notable performances were also given by Brooke Ottaway as Torrey, Alxyz Adove (Adam), and Sekonaia Faletau (Fish Vendor/Mr Blumen). Moshe Merz (Senor O’Brian/Kowalski) was a crowd favourite with his physical antics and magnificent voice.
Todd Rohan Smith lead an eight-piece band including familiar names Kathleen Tay (Keyboard Two), Renee Kenyon (Flute/Clarinet/Saxophone), Paul Cakebread (Trumpet/Flugelhorn), and Ashin Singh (Guitar). These talented musos kept a lively pace with an array of styles from musical theatre to pop to funk. The audience was extremely appreciative of the band when footage of the group played on screen at the end. Unfortunately, the superlong playout meant that the band did not get the usual second round of applause as people had left the theatre during the outro.
Vocal Director Dane Moeke highlighted the depth and range of the cast, and the harmonies were splendid. Diction and breath control were impressive throughout thanks to Moeke’s attention to detail. Stand out numbers included “Just One Day” (the rapid-fire lyrics were fantastic), “Busted” and “Bring My Baby (Brother) Home”.
Emelia Hawthorn’s choreography was innovative and spirited. The gym class routine and all the large-scale numbers were toe-tapping spectacles. Hopefully as the cast settles into the season, the less experienced will relax and enjoy performing Hawthorn’s playful routines.
Jonathan Hawthorn’s cast of 24 featured familiar and new faces, and he kept everyone busy, several with double roles. Hawthorn created a memorable, high-energy show utilising his crew to their full potential. The switch between Katherine and Ellie was well executed. Clever projections, LED lighting, a riser for narration, and smooth scene changes provided a polished show.
Freaky Friday is ideal for mothers of teenage daughters, and teenage daughters too! The casting was great, the band was awesome, and the production team and crew have created an entertaining night out. Riverlea Theatre’s Freaky Friday is a freakishly good way to wrap up the year.
Yvonne Milroy (25/11/2025)
The plot, based on Mary Rodgers novel of the same name, is well known from several popular movie adaptations, so it’s not a spoiler to say there is a big argument, a magical intervention and a body swap. Friday then gets properly freaky for them both and for all their extended family, and friends.
From the opening song ‘Just One Day’, it was obvious we were in safe hands. The performances and characterisation were polished with excellent music and singing from leads, and the wider ensemble.
The lead actors, Beth Vickers (Katherine) and Kyra-Mae Wilson (Ellie) were terrific. It’s the first time I’ve seen Vickers perform and she demonstrated great control and nuance in her performance creating a lively and likeable character and nailing the teenage angst with comic timing.
Wilson has been steadily growing into bigger roles and while her singing has always been good, I really enjoyed seeing her shine in a lead role. She took on the more complicated characterisation with confidence, great energy and stagecraft.
Andy Derby has been impressive in everything I’ve seen him in and was a good foil as Katherine’s sincere and baffled fiancée Mike, while Brooke Ottaway also played an excellent ‘straight guy’ role as stressed out assistant Torrey.
Arnah Currie was great as school meanie Savannah and Alxyz Adove was super cool and confident as the popular ‘king of the hunt’ Adam. On opening night, Spencer Keelty was sweet as young Fletcher, wielding hand puppets and dropping jokes in an important role that connects the lead characters and themes. He and Adove also made a meal of the very silly ‘Women and Sandwiches’ song.
The fine supporting cast took on roles of best friends, school mates and enemies, local residents, teachers and family and were all well developed and focus. The teenage group’s rendition of ‘Oh, Biology’ and ‘Busted’ was great while Moshe Merz, as a teacher and police officer, threatened to steal the scene with his physical comedy at every turn.
The creative team is a new and very successful combination. First time director Jonathan Hawthorn brings his stage experience and training to the fore in a confident debut. Leading the live music is Todd Rohan Smith, an accomplished band performer and composer who guided the 7-piece band and 2 backing singers beautifully. Choreographer Emelia Hawthorn impressed me with her work in Saturday Night Fever and Young Frankenstein, and she has delivered here as well while vocal director Dane Moeke’s work with the singers elevated the show, with literally not a duff note all night.
Overall, a truly entertaining and fun night out.
Cate Prestidge (25/11/2025)
Originally posted in the Waikato Times.
On Saturday was invited to the opening night of Freaky Friday by the good folk at Riverlea Theatre. For what it is worth, here is my two cents.
The concept of Freaky Friday is a well worn one. Depending on which generation you hail from you might recall Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster or Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as playing mothers and daughters who magically exchange bodies for a day. And that’s not counting other cinematic variations on the theme – 13 Going on 30, anyone? – or television remakes.
Riverlea Theatre’s production, this year’s Christmas Show whose run continues until 13 December, is a musical version of the material, also based on Mary Rodgers’ 1972 novel of the same name. With a book by Bridget Carpenter, music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Vorkey its stage incarnation dates from 2016 and it was filmed for the Disney Channel two years later.
Not all comedies and still fewer dramas lend themselves to musical adaptations but arguably Freaky Friday improves with the refinement. The woman/girl exchange now has its origins in an object emblematic of their shared loss: an hourglass that once belonged to mother Katherine’s deceased husband, the late father of teenage Ellie. It’s a MacGuffin that makes thematic sense, underpinning the tension between the two and also proves a useful device in the second act quest that pulls the various narrative threads together.
The Riverlea show has two powerhouse performances at its centre, actresses of strong, clear and distinctive voices, each capable of conveying both the frustrations of middle age and the angst of youth. The impressive opening number, “Just One Day”, sets the tone in more ways than one: the song a recurring motif, providing context for a story told largely in flashback but equally an introduction of Kyra-Mae Wilson’s highly compelling Ellie. Wilson achieves the minor miracle of making a whiny teen both credible and sympathetic ; she has warmth and wit and as the sound mix has a clarity not always experienced at the venue most every syllable she sings can be heard, too.
Katherine is a dream part and a perfect vehicle for Beth Vickers’ comic timing and vocal chops. As abrasive and controlling as she is as the wedding planner balancing the production of her own nuptials against the pressures of a blended family, Vickers is stronger still when conveying a child within an adult’s body.
Freaky Friday works as well as it does because of the wonderful chemistry between these leads, their voices blending exceedingly well, whether singing in harmony or counterpoint, especially in the early number “I Got This”.
Also noteworthy is the naturalistic work of young Spencer Keelty who took the part of Ellie’s brother Fletcher on opening night. Confident when assuming the varied voices of his character’s puppets and hitting all the right notes when called upon to do some solo singing in the show’s silliest song, “Women and Sandwiches”, Keelty acts with assurance and innate understanding of Fletcher’s sweet nature.
As Mike, Katherine’s fiance, Andy Derby, outstanding earlier this year as Clyde Barrow in Bonnie & Clyde, brings his considerable stage presence and charisma to an underwritten part. If he and Vickers never quite convince as a romantic couple it’s of little relative importance in that rare musical that doesn’t hinge on such things. When the script requires him to step up he does so with power: “Bring My (Baby) Brother Home” is a song and dance in which Derby, Vickers and Wilson coordinate particularly well.
Others to impress in a large ensemble with few weak links are Brooke Ottaway as Katherine’s increasingly frazzled assistant Torrey, combing frustration with sycophancy, Alxyz Adove’s Adam, who performs the aforementioned “Women and Sandwiches” with the dedication of a professional, Sarah Fergusson’s drill-instructor-like gym teacher Ms Meyers and Moshe Merz, whose high note atop a table comes from nowhere, bringing “Someone Has to Take the Blame” to an unexpected and rather amusing climax.
The overall polish of this production, which combines tuneful live music with bright and energetic dance, reflects well on first time director Jonathan Hawthorn, choreographer Emelia Hawthorn, band director Todd Rohan Smith and vocal director Dane Moeke. The pace is pleasingly brisk and the themes conveyed with a conviction that stops well short of cloying sentiment or the didactic. With witty songs and universal themes, it’s truly a fun show.
Richard Swainson (24/11/2025)
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24/11/2025