Lyric Hammersmith Theatre – until 15th July 2023
Reviewed by Ben Jolly
4****
Jocelyn Bioh’s new comedy is a riot. Set at the Aburi Girls Boarding School in Ghana in the year of 1986 (the perfect era for teenage angst and high glam aspirations), the self-dubbed “African Mean Girls play” is true to its name and hits the ground running with high energy, bitchy dialogue and well-defined characters in this fresh retelling of the genre.
Right from the get go we join the social group of teenage girls as they gossip, poke fun and speculate who will be reigned Miss Ghana in the upcoming annual pageant. All bets are on popular leader of the gang, Paulina to take the crown and she would have us believe it no other way. The tables soon turn, however, with the arrival of Ericka – the wealthy, conventionally beautiful and talented transfer student who quickly becomes stiff competition for Paulina in both her friendship circle and aspirations for the future! Chaos ensues, naturally.
This band of talented actors shine on stage throughout the piece; with unbounded energy each performer has something to bring to the play and heighten the already tight and witty script, wonderfully written by Jocelyn Bioh. Heather Agyepong owns the part of Ama, finding every moment and performing with unapologetic nerve. Bola Akeju as Mercy steals many moments with her comedic flair and instinctive comedic nature akin to any seasoned professional. As Headmistress Francis, Alison A Addo has tangible presence and shows range and depth with her audacious performance.
Further into the play as we get to the heart of the matter there were moments when I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry as we started to see the bigger picture of these full rounded characters – kudos again to Jocelyn Bioh. While structurally the play could do with a little revision, as some of the more dramatic moments take place before they have been truly earned, this is still a wonderfully written play. With expert direction by Monique Touko, the physicality and movement they have added only heightens the drama and thus demands laughter from the audience.
School Girls; Or The African Mean Girls Play is a hit and as with most comedic plays, this will only get better with time as the cast find even more to work with and the natural chemistry grows further between this talented group of actors. With a poignant final message, we leave the theatre with not only some thoughtful insights to ponder, but also a memorable night full of laughter with characters that feel like new friends.