Reviewed by Sophie Rowley

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Get in Loser – The Plastics have arrived in Manchester!

In 2004 Tina Fey introduced the world to Mean Girls, and to be honest we have never really recovered! Fey revolutionised the genre of teen drama, as previously it focused on romance and ghetto blasters, Fey opts for a more dark and psychological driven narrative. She focused on the mental tournament and social terror high school brings with a dark wit. The cliques of the educational empire became more sleek and intelligent rather than clueless. The term “queen bee” became associated with actually controlling the school as though it was a country or as suggested in ‘apex predator” the animal kingdom. Through Fey’s delightful wit and sharp humour its not hard to see why this film became a millennial masterpiece.

In 2017 Mean Girls premiered on Broadway and just when you think Fey and her creative team couldn’t improve on perfection – a musical score was added and the magic was born. So much so that in 2024 – two decades after the original film delighted the world, Fey scored the hat-rick and released a musical film. It’s fair to say Fey has defined generations with her cult classic and now direct from the West End, Regina and her band of faithful followers have travelled up north to paint Manchester Opera House pink!! So does Mean Girls deserves a seat at the table or will it be the latest entry to the burn book?

When 16 year old Cady Heron (Emily Lane) and her mum move to Illinois, Cady has to leave her homeschool life behind in Africa and swap this for North Shore High, where she really enters the lions den. The complete anthesis from all she has ever known, Cady befriends two rouge outcasts Janis (Georgie Buckland) and Damian ( Max Gill) who live by their own rules. They guide Cady though a world of plastics and politics in the song Where Do You Belong, Damien and his show choir tells her “pick a clique and stick with it”. This newly formed trio decide to concoct a devilish plan where Cady enters Regina’s world. Here is where things start to unravel for Cady – she has never had to negotiate high school life, or deal with ‘queen bees’ like Regina (Vivian Panka) and her plastic posy Gretchen (Kiara Dario) and Karen (Sophie Pourret) nor did she plan on entering a love triangle hence the revenge party was born.

Fey and the creative team have done an incredible job bringing Mean Girls into the theatrical world. The show, where possible, does stays faithful to the original film, exploring themes of relationships, revenge, self discovery and self acceptance, however, one aspect that differs is the shift of the narrative voice from Cady to Janis and Damian’s. Judging from the audiences reaction this is a hugely popular choice.

The whole production is an absolute treat visually and vocally. The set is incredible, Scott Pask has done an outstanding job with his designs. Vibrant colours and seamless set changes bring the production to life. The set design, lighting (Kenneth Posner) and sound (Brian Roman) complement the soundtrack perfectly. The soundtrack is energetic, modern and original, there is an eclectic mix of vibrant group numbers, slow, subtle numbers and then cleverly constructed individual songs which represent the characters so well. The choreography also complements each song with superb routines that elevate this production further.

Cady adapts to her new life in the classic teenage way, she fumbles through Regina’s empire and quickly learns how to survive in this new setting. Despite having to fight her way through situations – Cady’s songs are a wonderful mix of strong vocals set against chords of music which takes her back home – her safe place. This wonderful musical undertone creates a joyous Disney vibe which builds and fires the show with energy. Lane delivers each song with crisp clean vocals and a fantastic range.

Regina and the plastics have a more sassy, sultry soundtrack – proving why they are as they are, a big deal. Regina’s songs are superbly executed by Vivian Panka, she brings confidence and attitude which adds to her Queen Bee aesthetic. Kiara Dario really showcases her depth of acting by showing Gretchen’s desperation to be Regina’s favourite sidekick, beautifully shown in her rendition of ‘What’s Wrong With Me? Dario really makes you feel her pain as all she wants is to fit in and still make ‘fetch’ happen. Sophie Pourret provides the group with her fantastic portal of Karen and plays her as clueless as you would hope, yet she still manages to maintain Karen’s innocence and humour.

Janis and Damian are the stand out stars for me in this production. Georgie Buckland really brings Janis to life – she is strong, tough and fiercely loyal while her vocals are a powerhouse of grunge, grit and rock. Max Gill brings humour and limitless energy to Damien, my face ached with smiling so much. Both characters are the voice of the show, and drive the plot forward with their “cautionary tale” of North Shores antics. Despite bringing a fresh new feel to the show they also remain faithful to the original characters and judging from the audiences reaction succeed entirely in their portrayal.

The other standout performances must go to, Kevin G (Karim Zeroual) who is funny and quick – Zeroual allows Kevin’s unique charisma to shine through – and while at times Kevin is comically cringy, he received with a genuine warmth by the audience. Mr Duvall (Joshua Elmore) stays true to form as an awkward headteacher but when needed is the voice of reason and authority. Any fans of Mean Girls know that Aaron Samuel’s is a big deal – Ben Oatley doesn’t disappoint in his portrayal of the handsome hunk. You see the rivalry of Regina and Cady in fighting for his attention, which Aaron doesn’t seem to mind. Oatley brings swagger to Aaron and a quiet confidence which is very endearing – one might describe it as very grool.  Finally Faye Tozer really does not stop – she bravely takes on the roles of Ms Heron, Ms Norbury and Mrs George. Tozer is able to bring a different quality to each of character, but the favourite has to be as the ‘cool mom’ Mrs George. 

So has Mean Girls passed the test? Yes absolutely. Every single member of the cast and crew have done a fantastic job in this production. It is a must see for all ages. It translates so well from screen and stage, its a show that not even a pandemic could stop and has made my millennial heart very happy. 

Mean Girls is on at Manchester’s Opera House until Saturday 7th March tickets available here.