Review: GIRLS REALLY LISTEN TO ME at The Pleasance, London

 


Date: 20th May 2024 

Seat: Unallocated

Tickets: Gifted

Rating: 4 Stars

Maddy thinks this is her story, but it’s not. It’s not even her friend, Maria’s story. It’s our story, all of us, or at least it could be. What a terrifying thought. 

Girls Really Listen to Me, written and performed by Eleanor Greene and directed by Alex Prescot, is a compelling, perhaps even devastating, one-woman play about Maddy, a spoilt 15-year-old girl private school girl from New York who, at first glance, seems far removed from any experience the audience might have had, but who, as the play progresses, becomes more like everyone else than she might realise. 

Maddy is trying to grow up too fast; she’s obsessed with older boys and clubs and drinking, but when her friend Maria is assaulted, Maddy becomes a social outcast – she’s blamed (in part, at least), for what happened. Because, as it turns out, the girls really do listen to her, and she’s used that power in the wrong way. But then again, at 15, what does she know? It’s clear she’s not got any useful parental figures in her life, so she’s figuring it out herself, and she’s figured it out wrong. 

The play’s realism is both its strength and its horror, skillfully blending humour with sudden shifts to discomfort and fear – the audience could feel that tonal change, and from laughing out loud, they became silent, listening to whatever awful yet all-too-familiar (even if only tangentially) story Maddy was about to tell. 

Eleanor Greene’s performance is captivating, easily embodying Maddy’s complex character and the dramatic fallout of her experiences, with throwaway lines that actually become more important the more you think about them. In fact, the title itself is something Maddy just says more to herself than anyone else as she casually swipes away on her phone, and that casualness just underscores the entire story’s chilling nature. 

Girls Really Listen to Me is a thought-provoking and unselling exploration of adolescence, social dynamics, and the impact of our actions – it’s a must-see performance. 

Girls Really Listen to Me plays at the Pleasance, London until 21st May 2024, and then heads to the Edinburgh Fringe: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/girls-really-listen-to-me


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: I WISH MY LIFE WERE LIKE A MUSICAL

Image
  Photo credit: Rod Penn Tickets: Gifted Date: 31st August 2023  Seat: H16  Rating: 5 Stars Who among us hasn't wistfully wished our lives were like a musical when we're sitting in a theatre, gazing up at the stage? I know I have, and I'm pretty sure I can't be the only one, otherwise  I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical  wouldn't exist.  It's a good thing it does.  Written by Alexander S. Bermange (who also appears on stage playing the piano – the only instrument used throughout across 16 songs in a rapid 70-minute runtime) and directed and choreographed by Matthew Parker, this short show is an ode not just to musicals, but to those who love them, from excited theatregoer to 'super fan', as well as the performers themselves.  I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical  starts as it means to go on, with the cast of Jennifer Caldwell, Julie Yammanee, Sev Keoshgerian, and Rhidian Marc donning glitzy gold waistcoats and high-kicking across the stage. Thi...
Read more

Review: CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG at The Hawth, Crawley

Image
  Date: 20th August 2024 Seat: R15 Tickets: Gifted Rating: 4 Stars  Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is something we’ve all grown up with; it’s just always been there, reliable and faithful as the car itself, so what would it be like on stage? Could it be just as heart-warming and nostalgia-inducing? The answer is yes – the show is full of charm, energy, and just the right amount of nostalgia. If you love the film, you’ll love the show; there are even some extra song and dance numbers thrown in.  One of the things that really makes a show like Chitty , much like the film itself, is the cast, and this cast is an exceptional one. Adam Garcia shone as Caractacus Potts, bringing warmth and charisma to the role, and his performance of “Hushabye Mountain” was beautifully heartfelt, and his playful banter with Ellie Nunn’s Truly Scrumptious was spot-on. She’s a modern-day Truly, trousers and all, and it works for a modern-day audience without taking away anything that makes the characte...
Read more

Review: BRONCO BILLY at The Charing Cross Theatre, London

Image
Photo credit: The Other Richard Date: 31st January 2024 Seat: M6 (Stalls) Tickets: Gifted Rating: 3 Stars  Adapting older movies into musicals seems to be a trend these days, some with better results than others, and Bronco Billy , with a book by Dennis Hackin and music and lyrics by Chip Rosenbloom and John Torres (with additional lyrics by Michele Brourman), is one of the better ones – if anything, it’s improved the film and made it a lot more enjoyable for everyone, which is something every audience member is sure to appreciate.  The main word that can be used to describe Bronco Billy is fun. It’s wild and wacky and loud and bright, and there are some wonderful characters and some lovely songs, but really when you leave, it’s the fun you’ve had that stays with you, and that’s no bad thing – if you’re feeling a bit down because January lasted for sixty billion months and you need a quick pick-me-up, Bronco Billy might just do the trick.  The story is about a travellin...
Read more