The musical adaptation of Mean Girls opened at Liverpool Empire Theatre on Monday, October 19, but despite clear talent on stage, the overall performance failed to live up to the 2004 film's cultural impact, according to reviewer Paul McAuley.
Tina Fey, who wrote the original screenplay, introduced the show with a pre-show announcement over the microphone, reminding audiences that "you don't need to film this, it was already a movie".
A High Bar to Meet
The 2004 film is a classic, inspiring a generation and boasting quotable lines and a star-studded cast. The musical adaptation had "mammoth-sized" shoes to fill, and while there were flashes of magic and standout performances, the production struggled to capture the same sharpness and wit.
The pairing of Max Gill's Damian and Georgie Buckland's Janis brought much-needed energy and comic chemistry. The show opens with the two warning the audience about a cautionary tale of how far people will go to be liked and popular at North Shore High School.
Familiar Story, Less Bite
While the storyline follows the familiar plot, the adaptation feels like a watered-down version of a film that knew exactly what it wanted to say. The humour and social commentary that made the original iconic seem to have taken a back seat, and the stage feels underdressed for a story obsessed with appearances.
One scene, however, flipped this opinion: as Vivian Panka's Regina sent the Burn Book pages flying, the staging was particularly clever, with half the stage illuminated in pink to recreate the pages being photocopied.
Standout Moments and Performances
Vivian Panka, as Regina, delivers a strong performance, particularly in "World Burn", one of the production's strongest numbers. Sophie Pourret's Karen brings amusement with animalistic gestures, while Kiara Dario's Gretchen provides laughs. Karim Zeroual's Kevin G also brings plenty of swag to the stage.
The Plastics, however, feel more like caricatures than the manipulative, cunning characters of the film. Despite this, the final few scenes were the strongest, with the pace picking up and the cast settling into their roles, but it was "too little, too late to make fetch happen".
