Nine school students navigate the pressures they face as girls: pressures from society and pressures from each other. Bringing to life the minefield that is a girl’s teenage years, this piece of new writing makes for a fresh and well-executed youth production.
An honest and original offering from a talented, youthful cast.
It is tricky for any contemporary drama to break completely new ground in the discussion of gender politics, and Happy Girl doesn’t bring anything revolutionary to the table. It does, however, take an original and insightful perspective, exploring how young women interact with each other before they have even entered the workplace. It’s the perfect setting to think about how girls who throw the word ‘bitch’ around are assimilating and resisting society’s pressures.
This fresh perspective is kept light by a very funny script and a snappy production. The scenes are short and incisive, and the action jumps around a lot, keeping things fast-paced and dynamic. The cast are strong, and each bring out something unique in their character. Of course, with a cast of nine and a Fringe-length show, it’s impossible to fully develop the characters’ relationships. But the actors do have a keen eye for the constantly shifting dynamics between girls at school.
The girls are that perfect mixture of sass and insecurity. As they try things for the first time - waxing legs, kissing girls, taking their first sips of Bacardi (Bass-are-dee, anyone?) - they let a little bit of that vulnerability show in a lighthearted but genuine way.
Not revolutionary, but not tired either, Happy Girl is an honest and original offering from a talented, youthful cast.
