Picture this: The Golden Girls, but a little more fuzzy.
Taking a cue from Avenue Q, they’re puppets! On Friday, Feb. 15 at the McPherson Playhouse, the Golden Girls tribute show Thank You For Being a Friend – named for Andrew Gold’s song made more famous as the iconic 80’s TV show’s theme song – brings the Miami foursome back and as big-mouthed as ever. Bring out the cheesecake!
All the friendship, sassiness – not to mention barrier-breaking – Sophia, Dorothy, Blanche and Rose brought to the award-winning show comes to Victoria live on stage. A night of nostalgia for fans of The Golden Girls, or a new look at a classic show for newcomers.
Audience goers can thank Thomas Duncan-Watt and Jonathan Rockefeller for this version. The Australian writers’ long love of The Golden Girls brought forth the piece in Australia, Toronto, and later off-Broadway in 2016-17 as That Golden Girls Show – A Puppet Parody. The change was necessary there due to the fact a Golden Girls drag show existed at the time under the name Thank You For Being a Friend.
The Golden Girls ran from 1985-92, with its trail-blazing depiction of “women of a certain age.” The show, similar to the characters’ nature, was unabashed in dealing with taboo topics such as the AIDS crisis, homosexuality, health care with age, and drug addiction.
While Golden Girls attracted fans of all ages, the parody at the McPherson is strictly for those 19+. Tickets start at $36.50. For ticket information, contact the Royal and McPherson box office at 250-386-6121, visit them online at rmts.bc.ca/ or drop by either theatre box office during business hours.
– Felicia Santarossa, contributing writer
