I’ve loved the movie Mean Girls since the first time I watched Lindsay Lohan walk into North Shore High with that wide‑eyed “what fresh hell is this?” energy.
It’s one of my holy trinity of 90s/early‑00s teen comedies - alongside 10 Things I Hate About You and Clueless - so walking into Venue Cymru for the stage adaptation felt a bit like stepping into a parallel universe.
Same iconic characters, same cattiness, same whole lotta pink… but now with live vocals, frenetic choreography and costume changes so fast I swear I got whiplash.
And honestly? I had a blast.
A fan of the film...discovering a whole new show
As someone who knows the movie inside out, I was curious - maybe even a little nervous - about how it would translate to the stage. With a 10 Things musical on the horizon, this felt like a test case for whether movies from the golden age of teen cinema can survive the jump to live theatre.
Turns out it can… provided you throw in pizzazz, anthems, a big pink heart and enough energy to power Llandudno for a week.
The story stays true to the original Tina Fey script, but what surprised me most was how much more of an ensemble piece it becomes without Cady’s internal monologue guiding us.
On opening night on Monday, some of the ensemble got the chance to shine is lead roles. And shine they did.
Emily Lane’s Cady is warm, funny and instantly likeable - but it’s Janis character and story-arc that, for me, steals the show.
Janis and Damian: the narrators we deserve
Georgie Buckland’s Janis is the emotional anchor of the whole production. Sharp, sardonic, wounded, defiant - she’s magnetic every second she’s on stage. And paired with Max Gill’s fabulously, high-functioning, flamboyant Damian, they become the show’s beating hearts.
Their storytelling is crisp, their chemistry effortless, and Buckland’s vocals in I’d Rather Be Me are a genuine showstopper.
Even Gretchen gets her moment in the spotlight - Savannah Ffrench nails that needy, eager‑to‑please energy without ever making her a caricature. Sophie Pourret’s Karen is gloriously dim in the most loveable way as she gobbles up the show's biggest laugh out loud lines - and Lillia Quires’ steps into Regina's heels effortlessly to serve ice‑cold perfection with a voice that absolutely soars in World Burn.
The Plastics, the power, the pizzazz
The ensemble glide across the stage like they’ve been carved out of bubblegum and ambition.
The choreography is tight, the transitions are lightning‑fast, and the musical numbers - Apex Predator, Revenge Party, I See Stars - are catchy enough that I left humming them all the way back home.
And then there’s Faye Tozer. Steps royalty. Three roles. Three completely different vibes. She even sneaks in a cheeky nod to her Steps days during the curtain call - because, honestly, it would be a Tragedy not to.
A faithful adaptation with a fresh spark
What impressed me most was how the show honours the film’s iconic moments without feeling like a carbon copy. It’s fun, fast, loud, proud and packed with personality. The cattiness is camp, the comedy lands, and the heart - that big pink beating heart - is absolutely intact.
As a long‑time fan of the movie, I left feeling like I’d seen something familiar but also genuinely new. A remix rather than a replica.
Mean Girls runs at Venue Cymru until Saturday, July 25 — and if you’re even half as obsessed with 90s teen movies as I am, you’ll want to grab a seat in the auditorium.
It's so good, it might even make Fetch happen.
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