There are many things to consider when turning a movie into a stage adaptation – especially when that movie is as popular as Mean Girls. Luckily, Tina Fey has adapted her own movie script, keeping the storyline mostly the same, so we know this musical version of the 2004 film is in safe hands. It therefore comes as no surprise that it won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Musical in 2025.
When I entered the Savoy Theatre, I first stopped at the snack bar to stack up on some goodies for the show, only to realise I could have ordered food and drinks straight from my seat, which is such a cool thing that only a few theatres offer nowadays. After sitting down, I looked at the stage which was lit up showing white pages with images of different people and comments added to them, which changed over in an interval. First, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at, but soon worked out after reading the comments that they were pages out of Regina’s Burn Book. Reading through those comments before the show started was on one hand entertaining and preparing you for the show, and on the other a sad reminder of people's negative creative outlets.
The musical starts with Tom Xander as Damien and Elena Skye as Janis telling you that this musical is about a cautionary tale. They introduce the main character, Cady Heron, played by Charlie Burn, a homeschooled first-year student from Kenya who faces high school life – and all the different cliques that come with it – for the first time. Cady infiltrates the most popular group called “The Plastics” to spy on and report back on what they do and say to her new friends, but instead she falls victim to the allure of becoming popular and neglects Damien and Elena in the process.
The cast is magnificent. Georgina Castle, Regina the Queen Bee of the Plastics, is convincing in how she portrays Regina’s reign over the school – and her posing for the spotlight feels just like scrolling through an influencer’s Instagram profile. Then there’s her mother, played by Zoe Rainey, a functional alcoholic trying to be the friend rather than parent of her child. Rainey’s performance reminded me of watching other teen dramas on Netflix. Thanks to her convincing performance you almost feel bad for the character of Regina.
Other outstanding cast members to mention are the other two members of The Plastics. Elèna Gyasi plays Gretchen, who goes through stages of questioning herself, her strong need for approval and her loyalty to Regina. Grace Mouat is Karen, the sweet but dull-witted girl that always smiles and makes you laugh along the way.
Alongside the cast, it’s the music that allows you to get sucked into the storyline. Each of the characters have their own type of music style when singing, which reflects their personalities – for example, rock-inspired songs for Janis and pop numbers for Cady. This creates something unique that I have never experienced in any other show.
The musical manages to portray the issues teenagers face during school like bullying, betrayal, changing yourself to be liked or treating others badly to feel better, and the complex friendships and pitfalls that come along with these. The show could delve deeper into the issues kids face at school and explore other topics, but this musical is a lighthearted comedy piece with a simple message: don’t be a mean girl.
The show ends with Regina and Cady making up (sort of) and being kinder to each other. Even if this so-called happy end might not reflect real life, it is great to see it on stage. It creates hope that this could be possible if people would reflect more on their actions and treatment of each other.
Watching the musical reminded me of my time at school being that age. Even though we didn’t have cliques with names or a Queen Bee in my school, everyone knew who the popular kids and who the outsiders were. I am glad that the musical adaptation was modernised – the play introduces smartphones and social media to show how they impact modern school life – but oh boy am I happy that smartphones were not part of my school experience.
Playing at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End, Mean Girls is scheduled to run until 8 June 2025. This musical is worth watching for everyone who needs a laugh and for those who would like to reminisce about their high school years.