The Hills Musical Theatre Company’s production of Freaky Friday walks the tight rope of balancing a community focused on inclusion and putting on a show you’d happily pay money for with charm, heart, and a few missteps along the way – but ultimately lands safely.
Jordan Anderson (Director) succeeded with a simple yet effective set design. Rotating triangular flats took the audience seamlessly between home and school, while a hidden UV reveal saved for “Go” added an unexpected layer of fun as the cast ventured into the audience for the scavenger hunt. Big kudos also to the six-person stage crew who executed the scene transitions so flawlessly that they were neither seen nor heard — no small feat in community theatre.
At the centre of this production is Hannah Aouchan as Ellie, tasked with the difficult feat of playing not one but two characters — mother and daughter — and managing to make you care deeply about both. Aouchan’s ability to shift between the characters was not only believable but emotionally engaging, and her vocal performance was easily a standout of the night.
Honestly, it was the supporting cast who stole the show with their various supporting roles. Dylan Nelson’s impeccable comedic timing and physical energy lifted the pacing of the show, especially in moments where the story otherwise risked losing steam. Special mentions also go to Tyler Thorovsky and Theo Cuelho, whose background acting (“bacting”) were consistently cooler than the so-called heartthrob Adam, played by Eddie Langford. Credit also to Leanne Mordini who managed to make the Sports Teacher one of the most memorable cameo moments of the night, and Lily Ting deserves a shoutout for the sharpest dancing and most consistent American accent in the cast.
Not every performance landed as smoothly. Fiona Brennan’s Katherine felt like a caricature rather than a fully realised character. Her overly sarcastic portrayal wore thin quickly. Brennan did manage to ground herself during “Parents Lie,” delivering one of the show’s more authentic emotional beats. Similarly, Langford’s portrayal of Adam — the self-proclaimed coolest guy in school — didn’t quite land as convincingly as intended. His scenes with Ellie in Biology class lacked romantic spark and at times felt awkward. His big number about “Women and Sandwiches” leaned more confusing than charming.
A note on the ensemble: a few more smiles and a little more visible energy, particularly from the cheerleaders, could have elevated the overall atmosphere. Sometimes it felt less like a pep rally and more like a reluctant school assembly.
On the technical side, the band was consistently tight, and the show smartly utilised the vocal talents of its cast. However, the lighting design occasionally left the actors’ faces in shadow, a small but noticeable detail that occasionally broke the spell. Choreographer Brooke Rose deserves praise for the way she crafted numbers like “Busted,” which was a real highlight, pitting parents against kids with energy and clever counterpoint. That said, “Watch Your Back” revealed the unfortunate truth that not all theatre kids can convincingly sell a sports sequence — a miss in an otherwise well-constructed show.
Ultimately Freaky Friday wasn’t perfect, but it’s a heartfelt, well-paced evening of theatre that reminds you why community productions matter.
🚙🚙/5
