FRIENDS! The Musical Parody will hit Sunderland Empire’s stage from Monday, 22 September to Saturday, 27 September 2025, with ticket on sale dates to be announced soon.

The musical, which has been performed in New York and Las Vegas, will visit Sunderland as part of a "major UK and Ireland tour" set to commence next summer.

Iconic moments from all ten seasons of the popular sitcom are recreated in the musical, which also features an original score.

The original Friends television show concerned a group of twenty- and thirty-somethings attempting to navigate work, life, and love in 1990s Manhattan.

The UK version of the parody, under licence from Theatre Mogul, is being produced by Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale, and Óskar Eiriksson.

The musical score is provided by Assaf Gleizner, who has seen success - including with a Grammy nomination - as a composer, MD, orchestrator, and arranger in New York City and beyond.

Mr Gleizner's credits include The Office! A Musical Parody, 90210! The Musical, The Swingaroos, and Arts for Autism.

The tour will kick off at The Barn, in Cirencester, next July, with Mr Goucher commenting: "We are looking forward to working with Iwan [Lewis, founding artistic director of The Barn] and his team, creating this brand-new production which will then tour the UK and Ireland."

Sunderland Empire, operated by ATG Entertainment, saw its foundation stone laid by Vesta Tilley in 1906.

It bills itself as "the North East’s premiere entertainment venue."

More information is available at https://friendsthemusicaltour.co.uk/