Mean Girls @ Savoy Theatre, London
Enjoy the Christmassy vibes of Mean Girls the musical at the Savoy Theatre, London and exit to a shower of fake snow. (Possibly this isn’t the vibe in July). Aka “get in loser, we’re going to a musical”, once they’ve confiscated your potentially nut containing sweets in return for a token.
With differences to the movie (i.e. loss of snacks and a different twist on the Christmas song number), the cast, the orchestra, the music, the singing and the dancing are giving heaps of energy throughout. The musical tackles the tricky situation of socials by having Regina George’s Mum as a trending social star, to comic effect.
The staging is also clever, pacey and dynamic. Utilising screen backgrounds we see the horrible entries from the ‘Burn Book’ before the show starts. Staging cleverly uses wheeled desks and lockers — allowing the class and dining hall scenes to react and shift dynamically, and to bring in some dance breaks. The wheeled desks also enhance the sense of defined groups and cliques and the pressure of trying to navigate it all. Entering school, Cady Heron (Charlie Burn) encounters a group of students who all move and dance in the same way, emphasising her awkwardness and differences.
Even better, there are topical jokes for Brits, which I’m sure must change with the seasons. When I saw it (for Mean Girls is a Christmas musical), Paddington made an appearance, just in time for Paddington in Peru! Thank you Tina Fey!
Regina George (Georgina Castle) has some epic diva moments and power ballads — including when she decides to get revenge and burn the whole social system down. Flames shoot up behind her on screens. The same screens cleverly use product placement when the infamous diet/not diet bar is mentioned. Another clever screen moment is used in showing the teacher’s police hell as they’re investigated for alleged drug crimes, following the confessional scene — where Karen does not fall uncaught!
Some other interesting things have been done here. Karen (Grace Mouat) is more funny and charming — with some killer laugh out loud lines, and a very silly song about sexy is her super power in life. Gretchen Wieners (Elèna Gyasi) has become more hysterical and paranoid about being left out by Regina — at all times. Life isn’t so fantastic when you’re a plastic. We even get some motivation for Regina’s behaviour — where her name is really a feminised version of the longed for boy child, Reginald.
Unlike the movie, we have a dual narration as we’re in a seminar throughout. (Cady isn’t the overall narrator here, meaning we see lots of different cast points of view instead). Cady starts off sweet, naive and charming and twistedly soon becomes a wannabe Regina, lying to her parents, her friends, to everyone. Thankfully her redemption is partially found in Maths — where the team just want ‘a girl’ as their unique selling point to ace the competition. Acting stupid to impress boys doesn’t pay! (or win regional trials).
Nor does having a select party with limited canapes. The trashing of Cady’s house is cleverly done by using the lounge furniture as levels and bustin’ lots of power rap stances. That poor vase!
Meanwhile, Regina is not the only one to get a power ballad moment. Janis (Elena Skye) also gets an alternative power ballad — and unlike the movie, her moment of social triumph as people start to think about what they’re doing to each other and the school community.
By the end, Regina is in increasingly unhinged costumes as she braces her way to recovery from a pink throne of a supportive chair. Cady, meanwhile, has gone full circle and returned to the love of Maths everyone warned her against. We’re all joining Team Karen, who has been fabulous throughout! And the Burn Book has become very nice indeed, with positive pages covering the backstage screens.
Note — do not stand up and put your coat on at the end. If you do, you block everyone’s view of the Mean Girls version of a mega-mix, which has to be seen to be believed. People whizz about on scooters — and wheelchairs! Instead sit down (yes, you can sit with us at this point) — and enjoy! Ultimately the message of the musical is to be kind, people!
And kindness is much needed as you crush against the tide to reclaim your much missed snacks.
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