Freaky Friday

HOME Manchester invited us to work on the UK premiere of Disney’s Freaky Friday The Musical this festive season, and we had a brilliant time publicising the launch of a brand-new UK tour that is bringing the classic body-swap story to life for a new generation.

Running from 27 November 2025 to 10 January 2026, the production marks a major new addition to Manchester’s winter theatre calendar, as well as being another huge cultural coup for the city.

Freaky Friday represents a genre of storytelling that we don’t just love here at Sundae, it has actually shaped us as people during our formative years (which involved memorising many-a-script, song, and dance routine!), and every single iteration of it over the years has brought something new, and fun, to the table. Based on the beloved novel by Mary Rodgers and the hit Disney films, Freaky Friday The Musical is a heartfelt and funny take on the timeless story, full of family, chaos and self-discovery.

Presented by Paul Taylor-Mills (The Lightning Thief, Heathers The Musical), directed by Andy Fickman (Heathers The Musical), with music by Tom Kitt, and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning team behind Next to Normal, this new show reimagines the story with heart, humour and a fresh contemporary sound.

Career-driven mum Katherine (Rebecca Lock) and her teenage daughter Ellie (Jena Pandya) can’t see eye to eye, each convinced the other has it easy. But when they spend a day living each other’s lives, they start to understand one another’s challenges, and discover the love and respect that ties them together.

The production also features some Manchester-based talent; George Strickland as musical director. A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, George has previously worked on the world premiere of The Book Thief at Bolton Octagon and has performed or collaborated at venues including The Lowry, Bridgewater Hall, and The Stoller Hall.

Working closely with HOME, Disney, the producer, and the producer’s PR team, we supplemented the national press campaign with regional engagement that brought new audiences to the show and the venue as a whole.

We placed features on About Manchester, Creative Tourist, Manchester World, MSN, Unlock Mcr, Canal Street Online, and Manchester’s Finest, as well as interviews with talent on I Love Manchester, I Love Manchester – Theatre, Manchester World, Your Manchester, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Radio Cumbria, and BBC Radio Lancashire.

In addition we filled the ‘pink carpet’ at the Gala with celebrities and people of influence such as actors Roxy Shahidi, Channique Sterling Brown, Elle Mulvanny, Harriet Bibby, and Rob Mallard

We also had plenty of media in attendance including Granada Reports, who came along to interview members of the cast and production team, alongside some of the celebrity guests, to complete a package that included footage that they gathered while attending rehearsals a few days before, and aired the following day. Your Manchester filmed a follow up piece at the event, and I Love Manchester covered live on social media.

As a result of our press guestlist for the Gala, we placed reviews on British Theatre Guide, I Love Manchester, Canal Street Online, Manchester Theatres, All About Theatre, Jadar: Theatre on the Radar, North West End, Theatre Reviews North, Number 9 Reviews, Theatre Reviews 4 U, and Confidentials.