FRIEND Freesheet Spring 2024

James Seabright presents

FRIEND (The One With Gunther)

by Brendan Murphy

Performed by Joseph Maudsley

Directed by Hamish MacDougall

For Seabright Live Ltd

Producer - James Seabright

Associate Producer - Jack Robertson

Head of Production - Luke Gledsdale

Marketing Director - Kate Farrell

Assistant Producer - Andrei Cotocu

Bookkeeper - Alan Mackintosh

Social Media Manager – Mark Ludmon

Company Stage Manager - Leon Smith

Relighter - Eva Collins Alonson

Don’t miss BUFFY REVAMPED from the same team as FRIEND - on UK tour throughout 2024

BUFFYREVAMPED.CO.UK

A NOTE FROM YOUR HOST… Welcome to The Independent Central New York Coffee Shop! (Any similarity to fictitious locations or characters purely coincidental) Before we go any further, just take a moment to breathe in and soak up your surroundings. Sit back, relax and close your eyes... but not for too long, the show’s going to be starting soon and we’ve got coffee to sell. You’re finally here, the place where it all happened - from Phoebe’s first rendition of Smelly Cat to Joey’s short-lived stint as a waiter - a whole lot of history happened in this little cafe. Whether you’re a tea sipper or a coffee guzzler, you prefer it extra strong or decaf, this is a place that’s open to all. You’ve paid your entry fee and we’re legally obliged to let you stay at least until you’ve finished your cup. In the meantime, get ready to relive the story of a lifetime - the real deal and the inside scoop, from the one man who knows it all best. Gunther.

A Complete Idiot’s Guide to... Friends:

· GUNTHER: The classic underdog good guy that everyone loves and depends on, not afraid to hang back and avoid the limelight because that’s what real heroes are all about.

· RACHEL: The single greatest person ever to order a Skinny Double Mocha Frappuccino.

· COFFEE: Aqua vitae, the black medicine, the stuff from which all life springs.

· RACHEL’S FRIENDS: Clowns that hang out on the central sofa all the time.

· THE COFFEE SHOP: Home. A safe space for people from all walks of life to step away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a quiet moment of refreshment and relaxation.

TRANSLATIONS:

A handy selection of everyday phrases that can be used anywhere in the world, all thanks to the international language of Friends:

1. Fist bumps = Screw you, buddy!

2. “Shall we play a game of Cups?” = Please take my money.

3. “How you doin’?” = I very much like your face.

4. “Oh. My. God.” = This is unexpected.

5. “Unagi...” = A state of awareness of one’s surroundings before, during, and after attacks.

6. “Salmon skin roll...” = The natural enemy of Unagi.

7. “Here come the meat sweats!” = No sudden movement, please.

8. “WE WERE ON A BREAK!” = I am never gonna emotionally recover from this.

DON’T BE A STRANGER! If you enjoyed the show, please do let us know and help us spread the word! Feel free to tag us in any of your post-show selfies and we’ll add you to Gunther’s Hall Of Friends. Instagram/Twitter: @OneWithGunther WWW.ONEWITHGUNTHER.COM

It is with a heavy heart that we said goodbye in 2021 to much loved actor, activist and fundraiser James Michael Tyler without whom we wouldn’t have a show. In an effort to bravely use the sorrow of his diagnosis to help as many people as possible, he became an advocate and a voice for all impacted by cancer. We have partnered with Prostate Cancer UK to raise money and awareness in James’s memory. Simply text with the word GUNTHER to 70004 to make a £5 donation. For more on the charity, please visit prostatecanceruk.org

We also pay tribute to Matthew Perry who wanted to be remembered not just for giving us Chandler Bing, but also for helping others struggling with addiction. We are supporting The Matthew Perry Foundation which will honour his legacy and be driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible. To find out more, visit matthewperryfoundation.org

JOSEPH MAUDSLEY (Performer)

Joseph is a Derby-born, Berkhamsted-based, Birmingham School of Acting trained actor. He is back in the UK from his most recent tour of the Olivier Award-nominated Potted Potter, which has taken him all over the world including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Philippines and the USA, with seasons in Chicago, Toronto, San Francisco and Las Vegas, where the show won Best New Show in The Best of Las Vegas awards. His debut performance of FRIEND (The One With Gunther) was at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with a sold-out run, five-star reviews and an Offie nomination. Other work includes The Reduced Shakespeare Company performing their William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (Abridged) and multiple tours with Oddsocks Theatre Company. His most recent TV appearance saw him in ITV’s Grantchester. Twitter and Instagram: @JosephMaudsley

BRENDAN MURPHY (Writer)

Brendan is an actor, writer and comedian who created the multi-award winning parody, Buffy Revamped (Best One Person Show and Best Comedy Performance, DarkChat Awards 2022). An experienced improviser, Brendan is a member of BBC Radio One’s BattleActs! and a guest player for Second City and Monkey Toast. Regularly performing in the Olivier award-nominated Potted Potter, he has toured extensively across the US and Canada including a residency at Horseshoe Las Vegas, which won Best New Show in the Best Of Las Vegas Awards. He is co-creator of the ARIA award-nominated satirical comedy podcast NonCensored with Rosie Holt. Other writing credits include The Mawaan & Emily Show (BBC Asian Network), SO! Beano (Sky Kids) and Comedians In Quarantine (Comedy Central) with co-writer Kiell Smith-Bynoe.

HAMISH MACDOUGALL (Director)

Hamish MacDougall’s directing credits include The War Of The Worlds (New Diorama/North Wall /Tour); Willy by William Andrews (Soho/Pleasance); Hammerhead by Joseph Morpurgo (Soho/ Southbank /Pleasance/tour and winner of The Brighton Comedy Award and Pleasance Best Comedy Show 2018); Soothing Sounds For Baby by Joseph Morpurgo (Soho/Pleasance and nominated for Edinburgh Comedy Award, named as Time Out number one comedy show of the year); Life and Rhymes by Abandoman (Udderbelly/Edinburgh/Soho/Melbourne); The 24 Hour Plays (Old Vic); The Narcissist which Hamish co-wrote with Graham Dickson (Underbelly/Toomler Amsterdam/ BAC); and Zoo by Lily Bevan (Theatre 503).

SEABRIGHT LIVE (Producer)

A band of coffee-swilling, FRIENDS-loving, theatre nuts with a penchant for making great shows and taking them to the masses. Find out more about upcoming tour dates at www.seabright.org.

Discover the true insider story of what happened to Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Monica and Joey from the character who kept everyone caffeinated through the highs, lows, love affairs and failed auditions along the way!

Don’t miss this World Wide Comedy Award winning show!

CHESTER Storyhouse

SALISBURY Salisbury Arts Centre

LEAMINGTON SPA Royal Spa Centre

LEEDS Old Woollen

CANNOCK Prince of Wales Theatre

WINCHESTER Theatre Royal Winchester

GUILDFORD G Live

LONDON artsdepot

POOLE Lighthouse

GLOUCESTER Gloucester Guildhall

BECCLES Beccles Public Hall & Theatre

BURY ST EDMUNDS Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

SOUTHAMPTON MAST Mayflower Studios

EXETER Exeter Corn Exchange

HARTLEPOOL Town Hall Theatre

MIDDLESBROUGH Middlesbrough Theatre

WINDERMERE The Old Laundry Theatre

LANCASTER The Dukes

ARBROATH Webster Memorial Theatre

DUNDEE Dundee Rep

IPSWICH New Wolsey Theatre

NEW BRIGHTON Floral Pavilion

COLCHESTER Mercury Theatre

DONCASTER Cast

BANBURY The Mill Arts Centre

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Northern Stage

01244 409113

01722 320333 01926 334418

storyhouse.com wiltshirecreative.co.uk warwickdc.ticketsolve.com oldwoollen.co.uk princeofwales.live theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk trafalgartickets.com artsdepot.co.uk lighthousepoole.co.uk gloucesterguildhall.co.uk becclespublichall.co.uk theatreroyal.org mayflowerstudios.org.uk exetercornexchange.co.uk creativehartlepool.co.uk middlesbroughtheatre.co.uk oldlaundrytheatre.co.uk dukeslancaster.org angusalive.scot dundeerep.co.uk wolseytheatre.co.uk floralpavilion.com mercurytheatre.co.uk castindoncaster.com themillartscentre.co.uk northernstage.co.uk 14 - 26

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01295 279002 0191 230 5151 Recommended for ages 14+.

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