Invited| Review by Michael Dunwell
I’ll be honest, and I’ll grab my photo of George Michael (it’s something I like to hold while I write my reviews), I hadn’t actually seen Mean Girls before heading to this Bank Holiday Monday showing. But judging by my partner’s reactions, it’s one of those films that really sticks with you. The quotable lines, the characters, the ridiculous but relatable high school dynamics. So when I heard it had been adapted into a full musical, I was genuinely intrigued to see how that world would translate onto the stage.
For anyone unfamiliar, the story follows Cady Heron, a teenage girl who has grown up in Africa whilst being home schooled by her mother, only to be thrown into the chaos of an American high school. She quickly befriends outsiders Janis and Damian, who introduce her to the social hierarchy of the school, most notably “The Plastics”, led by the iconic Regina George. What follows is a sharp, funny and sometimes surprisingly cutting story about identity, popularity, manipulation and ultimately finding your place. It’s clever, chaotic, and has a lot more heart than you might expect.
From the moment we arrived, the greeting at the Sunderland Empire Theatre was warm and welcoming, and as always, it’s such a beautiful venue to sit in. There’s something about that theatre that just adds to the occasion.
The show opened with Max Gill as Damian Hubbard and Georgie Buckland as Janis Sarkisian, and without a doubt, this duo completely stole the show. They acted not just as characters but as narrators, guiding the audience through the story. It’s such a smart choice, because even if you’ve never seen the film or the more recent adaptation, you’re brought up to speed almost instantly and thrown straight into the action.
Max Gill’s comedic timing is absolutely spot on. Every line landed exactly where it needed to, and their delivery felt so natural. The scene where they’re on a mobility scooter and one particular line about needing to meet a curfew, dropped right in the middle of emotionally-charged dialogue, had the whole theatre burst out laughing (it wasn’t the only time).
Georgie Buckland, on the other hand, delivered one of the most impressive vocal performances I’ve seen in a long time. Her big number, I’d Rather Be Me, in the second half was genuinely jaw-dropping. The power in her voice was unbelievable. What I loved most was how physical her performance was. She drove the sound with strength and swagger, not just singing as Janie but becoming Janis. It was completely commanding and you couldn’t take your eyes off her.
One of the things I admired about the show was how self-aware it was. There were constant fourth wall breaks, particularly from Damian, who would turn to the audience with perfectly timed remarks about theatre clichés. Lines like “And this is my dance break!” just added another layer of humour that worked brilliantly.
The choreography throughout was excellent. Every number felt sharp, well thought out and full of character. A standout moment was Meet the Plastics, where lunch trays were used almost like burlesque fans. It was clever, stylised and just really fun to watch.
The ensemble deserves a huge amount of credit too. Every dancer on that stage was phenomenal, but I have to give a special mention to Michael Dean-Wilson. During most of the night’s musical numbers I was mostly watching him! Every movement was clean, precise and full of intention. He has that rare ability to make choreography look like second nature, like the music is moving through him rather than something he’s actively thinking about. Genuinely captivating to watch – major props!
Musically, the show was incredibly tight. Each number built beautifully, with the orchestra swelling and crescendoing into finishes that practically pulled applause out of the audience after every song. That kind of musical control doesn’t happen by accident, so massive credit has to go to Tom Slade, the musical director.
And I have to take a moment for Daniel Hayward on drums. As a drummer myself, I couldn’t help but keep turning to my partner saying, “God damn that fill!” His playing was exceptional all night. Tight, musical, and full of those little flourishes that elevate a song from good to great. The entire band were fantastic, but Daniel absolutely stood out for me.
Emily Lane as Cady Heron was brilliant. She perfectly captured that sweet, slightly awkward, endearing character at the start, constantly stumbling over her words and landing those uncomfortable lines that got some huge laughs. Her opening number, It Roars, immediately pulled me into the story. The vocal runs in that song were exceptional, and it set the tone perfectly for everything that followed.
A fantastic surprise was Faye Tozer (yes, from Steps), who took on three roles: Ms Heron, Ms Norbury and Mrs George. She was incredible in every one of them. So versatile, so funny, and clearly having a great time on stage. She rightly earned a standing ovation from a lot of the audience around us.
The Plastics were equally strong. Lillia Squires as Regina George absolutely nailed that effortless dominance and ego, while also handling the character’s unraveling and later revenge arc with real control. Kiara Dario as Gretchen Wieners was probably my personal favourite of the trio. The constant need for validation, the repeated false starts into What’s Wrong With Me, it was all played perfectly. There’s something brilliantly shallow about her character, and Kiara leaned into that completely. Rebekah Bryant as Karen Smith was hilarious throughout, and her number Sexy was a real standout moment.
Other strong performances included Joshua Elmore as Mr Duvall, who brought plenty of humour, and Ben Oatley as Aaron Samuels, who delivered a solid and believable performance.
The set design was brilliant across the board. The moment where the bus appears from the back of the stage was such a great visual, and the set design for the toilet cubicles was clever and effective.
One of my favourite staging moments came during the introduction of The Plastics, with Regina standing on top of the cafeteria table while Gretchen and Karen are frozen, each character introduced in turn. It was slick, stylised, and perfectly introduced the three iconic characters with weight and importance.
The highest compliment I can give this show is that it felt like it lasted about 20 minutes. It absolutely flew by. I genuinely did not want it to end. Whether you’re a fan of the original film or going in completely fresh, this musical works on every level. It’s funny, sharp, brilliantly performed, and full of energy from start to finish. If you get the chance to see Mean Girls at the Sunderland Empire, take it. You will not regret it.