JADAR

Mean Girls is one of the most iconic films of the 2000s. Camp, nostalgic and a guaranteed money-maker, it was only a matter of time before it was turned into a stage musical. Fresh from runs on Broadway and the West End, Mean Girls is currently having its regional premiere in Manchester, as part of a UK tour.

For any straight men reading this, Mean Girls focuses on Cady Heron, a teenage girl who transfers to a US high school after being homeschooled her whole life in Africa. At school, she befriends outsiders Janis Sarkisian and Damian Hubbard, who persuade her to infiltrate the “Plastics”, a clique consisting of wealthy but insecure Gretchen Wieners, sweet but dim-witted Karen Smith, and “queen bee” Regina George.

The musical, like the film, was written by comedic genius Tina Fey, so it feels faithful and authentic. She has not tried to reinvent the wheel. She gives the fans what they want but brings the show into the present day, incorporating mobile phones and social media, but I do wonder if the toxicity of social media could have been incorporated into the plot, given its relevance; a lot of school bullying takes place online.

The musical offers lots of fan service, with the iconic lines delivered with fervour, the performers recognising the importance of what they’re saying, yet they are careful not to be to obvious, which could have felt pantomimey.

There are a few small changes, some reflecting sensitivity. For example, the iconic line, “If you’re from Africa, why are you White?” has been cut, though I, as a person of colour, do not take offence to that line; I think it reflects how ignorant a lot of White people can be. I’m unsure if the line appeared in the original US production – there have even been changes since the musical premiered in 2017, such as changing “sexy Rosa Parks” to “sexy Joan of Arc”. Whilst the musical is satirising teenage girls who reduce important historical figures to costumes – and worse, sexualise them – Rose Parks might be too far for some people, and it’s hard to imagine a young Black girl would disrespect her own history like that.

The musical score, composed by Jeff Richmond with lyrics by Nell Benjamin, is a high-energy, contemporary pop-rock soundscape. It features fast-paced, witty, and often satirical songs that mirror the setting, blending catchy, anthemic tunes with character-driven Broadway musical theatre numbers. It is, at times, reminiscent of Legally Blonde, which had a score co-composed and co-written by Benjamin. Standout numbers include the aforementioned hilarious ‘Sexy’ by Karen and the impassioned ‘I’d Rather Be Me’ by Janis. Where the script is acidic and sharp, the songs are often sweet and syrupy, with only a few songs (such as Janis’ big number) having the same fire and bite. Some of the songs are a bit bland but they are all well written and beautifully performed.

There is often an overreliance on screens in contemporary musicals but the Broadway and West End productions Mean Girls used them incredibly. The set consisted of moving screens, adding drama and excitement, and they felt purposeful, what with the social media theme. The touring productions, however, replace the screens with pretty basic backdrops, which feel more suited to a regional pantomime than a hit Broadway and West End musical. Whilst old school musicals used backdrops, they were much more detailed. However, this production does have lots of set pieces that come on and off. Scenic designer Scott Pask does his best with the small budget he was given. The basic set is enhanced by Kenneth Posner’s lighting. Katrina Lindsay’s costumes are fantastic, with a few references to the film, such as Mrs George’s hot pink jumpsuit. Regina’s memorable pink cardigan look has been discarded, as nobody would wear that today, but her new wardrobe is to die for.

The production has been well directed by Casey Nicholaw (and associate directed by Alison Pollard) though a few moments in act one, particularly early on, felt a little clunky and clumsy, and some of the line delivery was a little awkward. It felt like a little more rehearsal was needed, even though the production had a normal amount of rehearsal time, if not a little longer. Nicholaw’s choreography (associate choreography by Ben Clare) is all very fun and groovy, and having Faye Tozer (who has been billed as “Faye Tozer from Steps”) do the iconic ‘Tragedy’ dance move in the silly curtain call dance number was hilarious.

Tozer once again proves that she is not just star casting. She’s wonderful as all three of her characters (Ms Norbury, the teacher; Ms Heron, Cady’s mom; and Mrs George, Regina’s mom), with one of the quickest quick-changes ever seen in theatre, transitioning from Ms Heron, with Cady, to Mrs George, with Regina (in a wheelchair), in just eight seconds. Before the show, a few of us were invited to an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience, and a member of the crew told us to look out for the eight-second quick change, but it was even more impressive than I had anticipated – she even changes her wig!

Emily Lane is loveable as Cady, and her transition into the new Queen Bee is perfect. Vivian Panka steps right into the pink heels of Regina and fills them nicely. It’s great to see a person of colour as Regina. Sure, back in the 2000s, the popular girl was usually a blonde White chick, but that’s not the case anymore. It’s great to see a brown woman awarded the opportunity to not only play an iconic character that she herself was not expecting to be seen for, but also given the chance to play a bitch!

Kiara Dario and Sophie Pourret are hilarious as the desperate Gretchen and smooth-brained Karen. Georgie Buckland and Max Gill slay as proud misfits Janis and Damian, with Georgie slaying the musical’s most popular song, ‘I’d Rather Be Me’. Ben Oatley is charming as Aaron Samuels though this is an instance where something more interesting could be done with the character; he is perhaps too archetypical, and Samuels, a fine actor, deserves more to play around with, but he does get to showcase his lovely voice. Karim Zeroual is not given much stage time as nerd Kevin Ganatra but he oozes energy and charisma whenever he is onstage. The core cast is completed by Joshua Elmore as Mr Duvall, who, again, is very much a background character, but he is a joy to watch every time he is onstage, particularly during the gym scene.

Mean Girls is no musical masterpiece, and it’s not trying to be, but the film upon which it is based is often considered the crème de la crème of its genre, so some people may have hoped for more from its stage adaptation. However, it does what it needs to do, honouring the film, bringing it to life onstage, and bringing it into the present, speaking more to today, though it could have spoken a little more strongly. Whilst the set is satisfactory (I can’t believe I’m saying this but I miss the screens!), the production itself is full of life, so it feels big. The book ranges from funny to hilarious, and it’s filled with heart. The score is poppy, peppy and perfect for the show. It’s perfectly cast though some of the cast could be given a bit more to play around with. With a few small changes, it could be a pretty perfect production. It’s current form is so fetch but it’s not got me obsessed.

Photo: Paul Coltas