Marilyn Friday, a UK Cypriot writer and actress is taking part in the Walthamstow Fringe Festival in August with a one woman comedy show that she has written called ‘Melody’s Men’. It’s a Greek romantic comedy, Melody is heart-broken when she is invited to her ex-boyfriend’s wedding. Her eccentric mother forces Melody to attend confession. Will Melody find her happy ending with a Prince or God? A-bloody-men!
The play is set in Walthamstow in East London.
Below is a little bit of background about the origins of the play and some information on where and when the play will take place.
Background
‘Melody’s Men’ was originally written as a film that was shortlisted as a finalist for the BAFTA Rocliffe new writing contest and was then turned into a play. Excerpts of the theatre show have also featured on BBC Essex radio.
Marilyn Friday (nee “Paraskevi”) started acting when she was just 12 years old. The pretty Greek-Brit, whose maternal roots are in the Cypriot towns of Layia and Kato Drys, landed her first big audition in 1998. She tried out for the lead role in The Parent Trap, but it went to Hollywood starlet Lindsay Lohan.
Ever since, Friday has appeared in commercials and films – including a small dance role in Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – as well as a few American and British (her father is from London) television shows.
Marilyn is after her Cypriot grandmother, whose name was Maria. Friday is her middle name and she is named after her Cypriot grandfather, whose name was Barry. In Greek, the female version for Barry (Paraskeva) is Friday (Paraskevi). She was actually encouraged to change her stage name to Marilyn Friday as it was more ‘showbiz.’ When she changed it, she oddly was getting called in more frequently and it’s a name people always seem to remember.
Dates: 25-28 August 2022
Time: 7.30pm
Running time: 50 minutes
Venue: Ye Olde Rose & Crown theatre pub, Hoe Street, Walthamstow
Written & starring: Marilyn Friday
Directed by: Louise Marie Cooke
Tickets:
https://www.yeolderoseandcrowntheatrepub.co.uk/whats-on/melodys-men-walthamstow-fringe
