Mean Girls at the Savoy Theatre

The fetchest show on the West End! This was one of my most anticipated trips of the year so far after falling in love with the Broadway show however has this show possibly gone through one too many changes on its journey across the pond.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

My Review:

I’m sure this has been a highly anticipated show for many people, including me, and I found myself, especially after the changes the film went through from the Broadway version, wondering what version should we expect on the West End. Going in I was aware that certain moments and songs had been cut, such as the Sexy dance break and Stop, as well as various lyric and line changes. However, I still could not have expected how different, especially lyrically, this show was to the one that ran on Broadway. Whilst I did thoroughly enjoy the show, I did find that some lyric changes, especially during Stupid With Love, felt more strained and did not flow as well as the original version so I was left wondering whether these changes were necessary. On the other hand, some lyric changes were required and were well executed, but these sadly were overshadowed by the number of unnecessary changes in my opinion.

Charlie Burn (Cady Heron) is the perfect leading lady with her characterisation bringing Cady to life in front of her eyes and her amazing vocals leading to an incredible show experience for all audience members and I can say that it was a pleasure watching her shine on the stage. Clíona Flynn (Regina George) commands respect throughout and her World Burn will leave you speechless due to her impressive vocal ability which is especially showcased by the final note of this song which she executed perfectly. Her fierce power never falters, which is a testament to her ability and I feel lucky to have been able to see her perform in this role since she would usually perform in the ensemble. Elena Gyasi (Gretchen Weiners) provides an upbeat energy from the offset and this allows the transition to What’s Wrong With Me? to be all the more impactful on the audience as we learn that the bubbly exterior hides a magnitude of worries and anxieties. Elena Gyasi showcases her range and talent during What’s Wrong With Me? regarding not only her vocals but her brilliant characterisation, which is maintained and considered during not only this moment but the entire show. Grace Mouat (Karen Smith) is the perfect casting for Karen with her ability to capture and display the character's oblivious nature. Her Sexy was amazing to listen to as she balanced dancing and singing brilliantly to provide a sustained and vocally impressive performance whilst not losing any of the dancing, however, this is not surprising to me due to her history in Six and & Juliet and is a testament to her skill and ability. I was fortunate to see Freddie Clements (Damian Hubbard) in a lead role rather than his usual ensemble track as this allowed me to fully appreciate his talent, especially his brilliant and comedic characterisation of Damian which was maintained from start to finish without ever faltering. Freddie Clements was joined by Baylie Carson (Janis Sarkisian) as the other half of this iconic duo and between them, they lead this show with such hilarity and perfection that I am so grateful to have seen both of these amazing covers. Alongside brilliant comedy, Baylie Carson left me in awe with their rendition of I’d Rather Be Me, which was high-paced and entertaining, forming one of my favourite moments of the show. Zoe Rainey (Ms Heron/Ms Norbury/Mrs George) provides a true lesson in characterisation and variety, playing not one or two but three characters throughout the show each with their own unique personality that is maintained throughout. Mervin Noronha (Kevin Gantra) is another amazing cover that I was able to see in a lead role and his Whose House Is This? was entertaining and visually engaging from start to finish as there really is something happening during every second of this song. Mervin Noronha led this song brilliantly, blending singing and comedy to create a wonderful performance. Daniel Bravo (Aaron Samuels) provides both stunning vocals and characterisation to this character, and watching him interact with his various cast mates was a joy due to his changing characteristics based on who he interacted with, creating an engaging and dynamic performance. His duet with Clíona Flynn during Someone Gets Hurt was a masterclass in amazing vocals and an impactful performance that was brilliant to see live. Ako Mitchell (Mr Duvall) is the perfect casting for this role in my opinion, with brilliant comedic timing and nuances that are exceptionally suited to this character and it was the characterisation which added so much to the entire show for me. The ensemble is composed of Tia Antonie-Charles, Angus Good, Georgia Arron, Holly Liburd, Liam Buckland, Shonah Buwu, Aharon Rayner, Trezel Sergeant, Annie Southhall, Siobhan Diffin, Holly Willock who all showcased fabulous dancing skills and accompanying vocals throughout. However, it was definitely their dancing and the choreography of this show that stood out to me as it was always able to add to the song being performed without being overly distracting and the talent of the whole ensemble was shown by their dancing ability and variety.

This is certainly a show to try and see, however, I would say that some of the changes for me did detract from the flow of the show. As someone who listens to the Broadway soundtrack, I may have noticed them more than others, but it was something that was starkly obvious throughout the performance for me.

Content Warnings:

The theatre did not have any displayed content warnings that I could see, however, I did make note of moments or effects that I felt should be mentioned, which are as follows:

The show uses confetti cannons at two points, which startled me both times, these moments will be signalled by Janis and Damian holding silver tubes and pointing them upwards
Bright Lights
References to homophobia when the reason why Janis and Regina stopped being friends is discussed
Strong Language

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer