By Catherine Collins
THE cast of Fat Friends the Musical burst onto the stage in an all-singing colourful clad zumbathon, wiggling from side-to-side.
The show, written and directed by Kay Mellor, revolves around members of the The Super Slimmers Group and bride-to-be, Kelly, played by Jodie Prenger, who is desperate to lose weight to fit into the wedding dress of her dreams, which is two sizes too small!
Kelly’s fiancé is played none other than broadcaster and cricketing legend, Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff, who proves he can do more than just play cricket in his comedic role as the haphazard but loveable Kevin.
While Kelly is usually a dedicated non-dieter, her mum Betty, performed by X Factor 2013 winner, Sam Bailey, has lost a whopping five stone and is waiting to hear whether she will be crowned Super Slimmer of the Year.
With the wedding just six weeks away, Kelly is persuaded to join Super Slimmers by the scheming Julia Fleshman, played by Atomic Kitten’s Natasha Hamilton, who sees a PR opportunity too good to turn down – the girl who works in the local chippy shedding the fat for her big day.
And, Julia will pay for the wedding if Kelly loses two stone to fit into her gown.
Also starring are soap favourites Kevin Kennedy, best known for his 20-year portrayal of Norman ‘Curly’ Watts in ITV’s flagship soap Coronation Street and Natalie Anderson, who played Alicia Metcalfe in Emmerdale. The music is provided by Nick Lloyd Webber, of the famous composing family.
In all, Fat Friends the Musical has all the elements you need for a feel-good night out at the theatre with likeable characters and lots of laughs, sugar-coated with sprinkles of humour, adult innuendos and - by the reaction of many of the audience to the weigh-in scene where the whole group strip off as much of their attire as possible - a plight many of us can relate to…the ongoing fight to fit into ‘that dress’.