Interview
Interview
“London Baby!”: Bringing The FRIENDS Experience to the UK
We peek behind-the-scenes and learn how the immersive experience was brought to life
When we talk about fictional worlds we’d like to dive through the screen and enter, the cosy coffeehouse on the corner of Central Park has to be high on the list. Thirty years on from its first episode and Friends is still one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time, with a fandom that spans generations. For all the big-budget TV shows on our screens today, there are few sets as instantly recognisable as the Central Perk coffeehouse or Monica’s purple living room.
With The FRIENDS Experience landing in London, fans will now get their long-awaited chance to visit these spaces for themselves. In this exclusive interview, George Wood, Managing Director at The Luna Entertainment Group, provides a behind-the-scenes look at how everything was brought to life.
What can fans expect from The FRIENDS Experience?
We literally create the entire world of the greatest TV show ever. This includes full scale sets that you actually get to go into. You can sit at Monica’s kitchen table, play on the fussball table in Joey and Chandler’s and, of course, pose on the orange sofa in Central Perk. We also recreated some of the fans’ favourite moments from all 10 seasons, giving them the chance to shout “Pivot!” whilst manoeuvring a sofa on the stairs, pose with Joey’s Hugsy The Penguin, and Phoebe’s taxi. Exclusively for London, we also created a new “London Baby!” zone, celebrating all the iconic moments from the episodes that were shot in London (the only time Friends was ever shot on location, outside of the studio). This area includes, of course, Ross and Emily’s wedding chapel, and Joey’s iconic stepping into the map moment. There’s also a large free-flow area called Friends Station, where guests can kick back, grab a coffee and enjoy a bite, with numerous photo ops in a New York themed setting.
What inspired you to create this attraction in the first place?
Over the years we have created experiences around so many of the world’s best films and TV shows, but Friends is completely unique in a few factors. Firstly, the sets are literally the most iconic backdrops in TV history. Jaws hit the floor the first time you step into Monica’s apartment and see the famous yellow peephole picture frame against the purple door. Moreover, Friends is special in that whilst it’s 30 years old this year, it has continuously found new generations of fans. Most historic TV shows feel dated over time and the audiences get old and less fanatical. Friends has done the opposite and regenerated its audience continuously.
The experience has travelled the globe now. How do you tailor it for different cities while staying true to the spirit of the show?
The degree to which it can be tailored is limited as fans want it to be as close to the show they know and love as possible. We obviously always localise the language and can sometimes shape the menus in the café to feel more aligned to local regions but, in truth, it’s only in London that we’ve genuinely been able to create something brand new. The team at Warner Bros were brilliantly supportive around the idea that London must feel special, as there were these fantastic episodes that were shot here that it warranted a new take on the experience. The “London Baby!” section is now the bit we’re all most excited to see!
How has The FRIENDS Experience changed over time?
Over time we’ve been able to engage with the fans and really learn what they love about the show and want to see. That’s everything from exclusive merch to the Central Perk café menu, all of these aspects have been developed and fleshed out over time. Perhaps the key evolution has been in the photo ops though – in the early years we had to ask people to give their phones to a steward who would take your picture. These days it’s all done with professional cameras and each audience member is given a QR code to redeem all their shots at the end.
Fans come back time and again partly to recreate their favourite moments, but also because we do vary things according to the season. When you come at Thanksgiving, expect to see Monica’s table all set up for dinner, and of course over Christmas we fully decorate the sets including the half-neat, half-shabby Christmas tree!
When you’ve got 10 seasons of TV to choose from, how do you pick what you want to include?
The process is always a fun one. We discuss it as a team first and have some ideas of what we think the audience will like or respond well to. But then then take it to Warner Bros who know the show better than anyone, and get their approvals and support. In the past, we’ve even asked audiences to vote for their favourite moments and then built them.
Can you give us an example?
That audience vote actually gave us the entire “Pivot!” section of the experience as the fans actually voted it as their favourite moment of all 10 seasons. Now you and your friends can stand around the sofa which is wedged on the staircase and all shout at the top of your voices “PIVOT!”.
Were Ross and Rachel on a break?
I would say they were…
The FRIENDS Experience is open now at Royal Victoria Dock in London. Find tickets here.
