Friend surrounded in east for performance (7)
I believe the answer is:
matinee
'for performance' is the definition.
(matinee is a kind of performance)
'friend surrounded in east' is the wordplay.
'friend' becomes 'mate' (mate is a kind of friend).
'surrounded' becomes 'in' (I've seen this in other clues).
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'east' becomes 'E' (synonyms).
'mate' placed around 'in' is 'matine'.
'matine'+'e'='MATINEE'
(Other definitions for matinee that I've seen before include "Daytime performance of play etc" , "Afternoon showing of play" , "theatre performance" , "First jackets" , "Afternoon theatre" .)