A FAN'S GUIDE TO 'THE FRIENDS EXPERIENCE: THE ONE IN MANILA'

Oh. My. God. Fans of the hit American sitcom “Friends” are in for a treat. “The Friends Experience: The One in Manila” kicked off at The Space at Solaire earlier this week and it will run until Nov. 30.

- inked PAM PASTOR

Monica and Rachel's apartment Joey and Chandler's apartment

The Space at Solaire is a sprawling venue on Level 3 of Solaire Resort, just by the Theater Lobby, and this inaugural showcase will transport visitors to the world of Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe and Joey through life-sized sets, replica costumes, props and more.

Created by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences, Original X Productions (OGX), and Warner Bros. Television Group, “The Friends Experience” has had successful runs in over 30 places including its flagship locations in New York City, London, and Las Vegas.

It makes its Asian debut in the Philippines, thanks to OGX, Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences and GMG Productions.

“It’s something we have really wanted to do for a long time,” said GMG Productions executive producer Sam Sewell.

In fact, they had been trying to bring it to the country even before the pandemic.

And now, it’s finally here. Sam said, “Friends is so beloved and when it started going on to streaming platforms, it developed a new younger audience, a fan base who wasn’t around for the original but can now watch it on demand. It had this second wave and it convinced us even more that we had to bring it here.”

Friends, which aired from 1994 to 2004, continues to be one of the most popular shows of all time.

I was in high school when it came out and my brother, cousins and I were quickly hooked. It became our favorite show to watch and rewatch. We never got sick of it — and even until now, it’s still one of my comfort shows. I remember spending multiple summers with my brother, the two of us constantly playing Friends VCDs — and later, DVDs — in the background. At one point, my mother, sick of hearing the cast’s voices, said, “Ano ba yan, I feel like I’m living with these people.”