REVIEW: Mean Girls at Sunderland Empire

Mean Girls

Sunderland Empire

Until Saturday 11 April 2025

Every so often, a film comes along to surprise audiences and become a cult classic. For millennials, perhaps no film quite embodies this genre better than Mean Girls, which burst into cinemas in 2004 and became an instant phenomenon. The film was a huge success and found its way not only into the hearts of millions of millennials, but into their vernacular. Seriously, try to find me a millennial who doesn’t immediately react to someone who is in the wrong place with “she doesn’t even go here”. 

Kiara Dario (Gretchen Wieners), Vivian Panka (Regina George) and Sophie Pourret (Karen Smith).

As it increasingly seems to be the case with cult classics, the idea was floated of turning the much loved film into a musical, with film writer Tina Fey teaming up with the wonderful Nell Benjamin (who co-wrote the score to Legally Blonde: The Musical with her husband Laurence O’Keefe) to write the lyrics. The musical played on Broadway before transferring to London for a West End show, and also became a film in its own right in 2024. 

Georgie Buckland (Janis Sarkisian), Max Gill (Damian Hubbard) and Emily Lane (Cady Heron).

The musical is an updated version of the 2004 film - essentially, it’s the Plastics with smartphones. Several plot points that have not aged particularly well have been updated, creating a musical that feels much more modern, but lacking in some of the edge that made the film a cult classic in the first place. 

Faye Tozer (Mrs George)

The feel of the musical is much more PG than the original film. There are still sexual jokes and innuendo,  but generally the whole thing feels a lot cleaner than the original. Unlike other cult classic musicals like Heathers, Mean Girls feels a lot lighter and fluffier on stage. Certainly, the audience in Sunderland on Monday night was full of young, eager faces who, if I’d been watching the original film, I’d have suggested were maybe a bit young, but the musical feels light and upbeat enough to be more widely accessible. 

Karim Zeroual (Kevin Ganatra, centre) and Company.

The show itself is probably best described as good fun. There are plenty of poppy, up-tempo songs and ensemble numbers that keep the energy high throughout, though I would have enjoyed seeing the cast use a little more of the vast stage at the Empire. Whilst deliberately simplistic, at times the sets looked a little sparse and lost in the huge amounts of space on stage, and it would have been nice to see the space being better used. There are no real moments of suspense (even if you don’t know the plot of the film), but it’s an enjoyable show with some brilliant moments of comedy and some wonderful performances from the cast.

Georgie Buckland (Janis Sarkisian), Emily Lane (Cady Heron), Max Gill (Damian Hubbard) and Company

Cady and the Plastics, particularly Regina, are the show leads, and yet it is undoubtedly the brilliant duo of Janis and Damien who hold the entire show together. From their first moments on stage introducing themselves as quasi-narrators to Damien’s high kicks in Where Do You Belong, all the way through to undeniably the best song in the show, Janis’ I’d Rather Be Me, the two embody the very best of the original film in a way that feels much more 2026. Georgie Buckland as Janis delivered the best vocal performances of the show, and Max Gill’s Damien was every piece the comic hero the show desperately needs. The whole cast were full of energy and talent - I particularly enjoyed Emily Lane’s excellent vocals and sheer sass as the newly popular Cady Heron, and it was wonderful to see understudies Lillia Squares (Regina George), Rebekah Bryant (Karen) and Stefanos Petri (Kevin G) taking their place as leads. 

Georgie Buckland (Janis Sarkisian) and Company.

Mean Girls is not a show that will change lives, and admittedly it doesn’t tick the same boxes as the 2004 film, but it is, quite simply, a fun night out. It is silly, funny and at the end, genuinely heart-warming. With some stand-out performances and plenty of laughs, it will leave you smiling (and probably humming some of the catchier numbers). 

Review: Hannah Daglish

Photos: Paul Coltas

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Tickets:

Tickets are available from ATG Tickets: LINK

REVIEW: Priscilla Queen of the Desert at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Saturday 11 April 2026

The troublesome bus Priscilla has parked up on Grey Street this week as the popular musical based upon the 1994 Australian road comedy film rolls into town. The show continues to pack in large crowds 20 years after its Sydney debut. It is a story that is much about personal exploration and discovery as it is a classic tale about a journey. 

Opening night was as much about the understudies, as it was delays, as two great performances were put in and you'd not have known that the alternates was appearing on stage if you had not been told. The first was Sario Soloman who threw themselves into the role of Miss Understanding, the host at a club in Sydney, and nails their big number What's Love Got to Do With It? This also involved breaking the third wall like a pantomime, which is unusual for a musical.

We were off to a good start as we were introduced to fellow drag queen Tick, who performs as Mitzi Mitosis, and they're not having a good night as his estranged wife Marion (Billie Hardy) calls. Kevin Clifton shows his versatility as the father who had not seen his son for 9 years and is offered the opportunity, to not only meet up with them, but to also put on a show at the casino that his wife works at. The issue is that the casino is in Alice Springs, which is just under 3000km away and it will take a few days to get there. He encourages Bernadette (Adèle Anderson) to come out of retirement and have a comeback show. Young Adam, performed by the evening's other alternate Fionan O'Carroll, completed the troupe - a man from a younger generation, he would highlight the difference in approaches to performance.

The three all have a target that they want to accomplish in the trip. Adam, whose stage name is Felicia Jollygoodfellow, wants to appear in full drag regalia, on Ayers Rock/Uluru to perform some hits of Kylie Minogue. Meanwhile Bernadette is getting over the recent death of her husband and wondering if they have what it takes to appear on stage again.

Adam raises the funds from his mother to buy a bus and they name it Priscilla before heading west. The journey is not without incident as the performers have to make stops along the way and the locals react to their presence. The story also looks at how the different personalities on board Priscilla interact with one another. One aspect that is constant throughout the tale are the fabulous lines Adèle Anderson delivers as the sharp witted and devastating Bernadette. Much of the comedy comes from the perfectly timed put downs.

When Priscilla breaks down Bob appears to help fix it. Peter Duncan appears as the gentleman who had seen Bernadette's group appear previously and he remains a fan. Duncan's performance quickly gets the audience onside despite the antics of his wife Cynthia (Isabella Glanznig Santos).

This is a musical in which the main characters tend to mime the songs as part of their routine. Thus we need some actual singers to perform and hence we have three Divas that appear from time to time.  Leah Vassell, Bernadette Bangura and Jessie May do a brilliant job at delivering the big hits and supporting the action on stage. They have a great set of pipes and are able to deliver the big hits with gusto. There is also a great ensemble that not just dance, they have to fill in as the locals as the bus stops, occasionally giving Priscilla a push around the stage.

Now Priscilla has been on the road for over a decade, and there is sometimes a tendency to shrink the production values when a show has been around a while. However, this production is still carrying a seven piece live band, under musical director Richard Atkinson, which makes a massive positive difference to the energy of the show. 

The only part of the show that didn't sit right with me was when Tick's son Benji finally appeared and he wanted to play with his father. Now I get that he lives at a casino, but the idea that his idea of play was on the bandits rather than with children's toys/games just didn't feel right. This is a shame as the young actor did a fine job for the brief time that they were on stage.

Priscilla is a feel good show that is not afraid to hold a mirror up to society and reflect the attitudes that some people have towards their fellow humans. There is a warmth between the characters as they muddle through the road trip even though they often clash with one another. Whilst it is a jukebox musical, the choice of songs fit in well with both the exposition and feel of the show. The costumes (Vicky Gill) are as stunning as the cast - I did laugh when the lady next to me purred with approval about Fionan O'Carroll's arms at the interval! 

I do like a feel good story. I have seen Priscilla a few times over the years and I would happily see it again.

Review: Stephen Oliver

Photos: Johan Persson

Tickets:

Tickets are available from the Theatre Royal box office and website: https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/priscilla/

Preview: The Detective Dog at Gala Durham

The Detective Dog 

Gala Durham 

Saturday 18 – Sunday 19 April 2026

Julia Donaldson's best-selling picture book The Detective Dog turns ten this year, and Tiny and Tall Productions are marking the occasion with a joyful stage adaptation specially created for Deaf and hard of hearing families, though one that promises to delight audiences of every age and every background.

The show follows Nell, a remarkable dog with an extraordinary sense of smell and a deep love of stories. Brought vividly to life through puppetry, original music and, in a wonderful touch, an interactive pre-show scent activity, Nell puts her investigative nose to work when a book mysteriously vanishes from her owner Peter's school. It is a warm, funny and gently thrilling adventure for anyone aged three and upwards.

Tiny and Tall Productions collaborate with leading Deaf artists to ensure the show is fully accessible, incorporating BSL and creative captions as an integral part of the staging rather than an afterthought. As artistic director Tessa Bide puts it, the company aims to raise the bar for accessibility in children's theatre and to welcome in audiences who have previously been excluded from it. On the evidence of the reception the show received when it toured last year, they are doing exactly that.

Cast and Creatives

The production is written by Julia Donaldson CBE (The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom) from her book illustrated by Sara Ogilvie, and is directed by Peta Maurice, whose previous work includes national tours of The Gruffalo, the Giant and the Mermaid. The design is by Katie Sykes and Ruby Brown, with original music by Jack Drewry, lighting by Joe Price, and video design and creative captions by Christopher Harrison. Lynn Stewart-Taylor serves as BSL Director, with access consultancy from Jonny Cotsen. The puppets are designed by Tessa Bide, who also created the piece as the company's Artistic Director. The cast features Megan Brooks as Peter/Puppeteer, Eleanor Pead as Child/Puppeteer/Librarian, and Amy Murray as Child/Ms Jones/Ted.

Photos: Paul Blakemore

Tickets

The Detective Dog plays at Gala Durham, 1 Millennium Place, Durham DH1 1WA on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 April 2026. Tickets are available from the Gala Durham website: https://galadurham.co.uk/galapost/the-detective-dog/

Running time: 1 hour. Recommended age guidance: 3+.

REVIEW: Hamlet at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Hamlet

Newcastle Theatre Royal 

Until Saturday 4 April 2026 and touring

Arguably Shakespeare’s greatest play, Hamlet has been subject to endless reinterpretations and imaginative stagings. Rupert Goold’s trimmed-down production for the RSC is set over one night on a royal yacht in 1912, deliberately evoking the Titanic. This brings pros and cons for the plot but delivers richly in terms of atmosphere.

The story of a wronged prince hindered from exacting his vengeance against the uncle who murdered his father and married his mother, by his own personality, runs uncut to four hours. With dramaturg Rebecca Latham, Goold has trimmed this to a spare two and a half hours. The production also incorporates some restructuring of scenes and adaptation of dialogue to fit the maritime setting.

First, one should consider whether this movement of the action from its original Elsinore castle aids or hampers the play. In fact, it is not such a stretch. The castle itself is at the edge of a narrow stretch of land overlooking the sea and this pervades the atmosphere throughout. The influence of the sea obviously impacts even more on the action of this production, on its highly raked, pointed stage, with a ceiling that inclines down, rising and falling as befits the scene. For the first half, in particular, this works extremely well, supplemented by video screens that show the constantly moving waves. In this production, incidentally, the interval is placed immediately after the ‘To be or not to be’ speech.

We see Hamlet informed by his father’s ghost of his uncle Claudius’ treachery, and pressed by him to revenge his death. What follows leads one to wonder whether he has picked the right man for the job. Morally prudish, deeply sensitive and resolutely incapable of accepting human frailty in himself or in others, Hamlet is effectively paralysed. He chooses to feign madness as a way of gathering information and forming his plans for revenge whilst seeming less of a threat to his uncle. Ultimately, a troop of actors arrives, giving him the idea of unmasking his uncle through mounting a play that enacts his treachery.

After thus angering Claudius and mistakenly killing Polonius, the king’s adviser and the father of his long-suffering girlfriend, Ophelia, he is despatched to England with some supposed friends, who actually carry instructions for Hamlet to be murdered. He outwits his companions and returns to confront Claudius thereupon discovering Ophelia has killed herself, driven mad by her father’s death and Hamlet’s unkind treatment. Claudius has convinced Polonius’ aggrieved son, Laertes, to challenge Hamlet to a duel in which Laertes will use a sword with a poisoned blade. With this and a cup of poisoned wine, the scene is set for the carnage of the finale, where the bodies pile up like a busy day in an abbatoir.

This production is heavily centred on the eponymous hero, which can tend to lessen the impact of other characters, particularly Claudius. Nevertheless, Raymond Coulthard delivers a nuanced performance as an ambitious but compassionate statesman, who carries guilt for his actions. As his conflicted wife, Poppy Miller also convinces as a delicately womanly Gertrude, her warmth contrasted to Hamlet’s sexual repression. Georgia-Mae Meyers does an excellent job as Ophelia, one of the most thankless roles in Shakespeare. She brings strength and nobility alongside her vulnerability, and her descent into madness evokes considerable sympathy.

The supporting players also acquit themselves admirably, particularly Richard Cant’s fussy, well-meaning Polonius, bringing humour without undermining the character’s elements of gravitas. Also, Ian Hughes is a charismatic Player King, well-matched to CJ Johnson’s Player Queen who brings a pleasing voice and presence to the highly effective, Kabuki-style, play within a play.

Which brings us to Hamlet, in the form of Ralph Davis. The challenges of this role should not be underestimated and he is generally effective in conveying the Prince’s torment, as well as his arrogance, his inflexibility and his resultant cruelty to Ophelia and Gertrude. We also see occasional flashes of the man he was, mainly in his interaction with the players, when he seems to come to life for the first time. He is resolutely earthbound, however, rather than cerebral and at times, his halting delivery and some issues with diction, despite his apparently wearing a microphone, undermine his efforts to fully illuminate the text. Some of the cuts to the iconic speeches also seem unhelpful. Nevertheless, he engages throughout and his portrayal is always believable.

The production overall is impressively staged and innovative, whilst remaining true to the spirit of the text, although the anachronistic red LED clocks that pronounce the time periodically seem a jarring and unhelpful intrusion, especially since the Titanic references do not reach any culmination. Also, the always problematic final scene where some of the bodies here are unceremoniously plunged into a hole in the deck, and it is hard to make out just who has killed whom, was ultimately unsatisfying. Incidentally, there is no arrival of Fortinbras from England to provide a resolution of sorts. The performance ends with Hamlet’s passing and a brief, familiar word from Colin Ryan’s solidly-played Horatio.

Despite any quibbles, however, this staging remains well worth seeing and a worthy addition to the canon of past productions of this iconic play. 

Review: Jonathan Cash

Photos: Marc Brenner

Tickets:

Tickets are available from the Theatre Royal website: https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/rsc-hamlet/

REVIEW: I, Daniel Blake at Newcastle Northern Stage

I, Daniel Blake

Newcastle Northern Stage

Until Saturday 4 April 2026 and touring

Ken Loach’s iconic 2016 film about a middle-aged man with a bad heart battling the welfare state, starring Dave Johns, was an enormous success. It won multiple awards and brought the iniquitous state of the British benefits system into the spotlight, even leading to questions in Parliament. In 2023, Johns worked with Northern Stage and director, Mark Calvert, to adapt Paul Laverty’s film script into a stage play. Its welcome return gives new audiences an opportunity to see just why this powerful story, with its well-judged blend of comedy and heartfelt drama is so highly regarded and, sadly, remains relevant today.

David Nellist as Daniel Blake

The play tells the story of the widowed carpenter and a displaced London woman and her daughter banding together into a family unit, united by their shared battle against the state, in the form of the Department for Work and Pensions. Blake is unfit to work but has been denied sickness benefit by some officious Civil Servant. He is harried into looking for work despite being unable to actually take on a job, whilst he waits interminably to appeal against the unjust decision. He runs into Katie, escaping a London hostel for a flat on Tyneside with her teenage daughter, Daisy. Over time, they develop a bond, based on his need to be helpful and her need for help.

L-R Micky Cochrane, Jodie Wild, David Nellist,
Jessica Johnson, Janine Leigh, Kema Sikazwe

David Nellist reprises his titular role and is marvellous at capturing the bewilderment, despair and crumpled nobility of this highly relatable Everyman. He is also, it should be stressed, extremely funny. The humour that runs through the play is the magical element that makes a story that could have been unbearably tragic, always watchable and entertaining.

Jessica Johnson’s Katie

He is matched by Jessica Johnson’s Katie, in a richly nuanced performance. Initially prickly and defensive, she slowly and believably opens up to Blake, and we learn what brought her to this parlous situation. With a note-perfect London accent, she is completely believable and natural as she gradually faces up to an intolerable situation and finds what she sees as the only way through it. Her bond with Jodie Wild’s vulnerable and engaging Daisy is touching in the extreme.

Kema Sikazwe as China

Janine Leigh does an excellent job of portraying Blake’s nemesis Sheila, the sour face of the intractable DWP. Kema Sikazwe is engaging as his friend, the would-be entrepreneur, China. They both play various other roles also, and Micky Cochrane delivers a series of well-judged cameos as everybody else.

Jodie Wild as Daisy

The action is punctuated by a series of quotes played and projected above the scene, highlighting the dismissive and monstrously uncaring attitudes of politicians, scoring points and cutting costs at the expense of the most vulnerable members of society. These comments seem particularly outrageous, when viewed from the perspective of the play’s protagonists. Hearing Boris Johnson’s plummy-voiced grandstanding actually made me, and others, I suspect, shudder with anger. And that, after all, is the point. We should be angry. Like other influential and timely dramas, such as The Boys From the Black Stuff, I, Daniel Blake puts a human face on what many would prefer to dismiss as mere statistics.

L-R Jessica Johnson, Jodie Wild, David Nellist

Still, this play does not forget that it is a piece of entertainment, however important its message, As well as the humour, the warmth of the scenes between the central trio gives relief from the unfolding tragedy, whilst also adding power to the denouement.

L-R David Nellist, Micky Cochrane

This is a memorable and rewarding evening’s theatre; well-directed, beautifully acted and as entertaining as it is heartbreaking. I had no hesitation in joining the rapturous audience in the standing ovation the cast and creatives richly deserved. As a reviewer, I am usually very glad that Northeast Theatre Guide doesn’t give ratings but if we did, this performance would have fully justified five stars.

Review: Jonathan Cash

Photos: Pamela Raith

Tickets:

Running: 20 March – 2 April 2026 

Box Office: 0191 230 5151

Online: www.northernstage.co.uk

Preview: PItmen Poets on tour

 

THE PITMEN POETS

Return for National Tour

Billy Mitchell  ·  Bob Fox  ·  Jez Lowe

 

Three giants of the contemporary folk world are coming home. Billy Mitchell, Bob Fox and Jez Lowe — the trio who collectively embody decades of North East musical heritage — are reuniting as The Pitmen Poets for a new national tour. And for audiences across the region, this summer brings a rare cluster of opportunities to witness one of the most authentic and deeply rooted shows on the UK folk circuit.

The show celebrates the songs, stories and living heritage of North East England's coalfield communities — music that carries the weight of history without ever losing its warmth, wit and humanity. From late June through to mid-July, nine North East venues will host this remarkable reunion, taking the tour from the market town of Barnard Castle all the way to the Fire Station in Sunderland, where it concludes.

THE STORY BEHIND THE SONGS

At the heart of The Pitmen Poets lies the work of Tommy Armstrong — the legendary pitman songwriter of the nineteenth century whose Pitmatic dialect verses captured the lives, humour and heartbreak of mining communities with a directness and compassion that still resonates today. Armstrong wrote not just about the daily grind of underground work, but about disasters, strikes, solidarity and the wry dark comedy of working life. He is, in every sense, the godfather of the North East folk tradition.

The trio do not simply mine Armstrong's legacy — they build upon it. Alongside his material, Mitchell, Fox and Lowe perform their own compositions: songs about coal, strikes, the weight of community and the communities that grew up around the pits. The result is a concert that moves fluently between past and present, between grief and laughter, and between the personal and the collective.

 

The project began some fifteen years ago when Bob Fox was invited to create a concert celebrating North East culture at London's Kings Place. With little rehearsal, the musicians took to the stage and simply let the show find its own shape. What emerged was so natural, so alive with shared experience and instinctive musicianship, that the ensemble has returned to it again and again ever since.

 

"It's a night of music, storytelling and humour that celebrates the culture we come from."

— Jez Lowe

 

THE PERFORMERS 

 

Billy Mitchell

One of the most distinctive voices the North East has produced, Billy Mitchell spent much of the 1970s touring Europe with folk-rock pioneers Jack the Lad before becoming one half of the hugely popular duo Maxie & Mitch. Then in 1996 came the call that cemented his place in regional legend: he was invited to front Lindisfarne, one of the most beloved bands Tyneside has ever produced, remaining with them until their retirement in 2003.

In recent years Mitchell has toured The Lindisfarne Story alongside drummer and fellow alumnus Ray Laidlaw, keeping the spirit of that extraordinary band alive for both lifelong fans and new audiences. On stage with The Pitmen Poets, his warmth and natural authority as a performer give the show much of its emotional grounding.

 

Bob Fox

Bob Fox is, by wide consensus, one of Britain's finest interpreters of traditional song — a singer whose voice carries both technical mastery and an instinctive feel for the emotional truth at the core of a lyric. Twice nominated as Folk Singer of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, he is a fixture on the national and international circuit whose reputation reaches well beyond the folk world.

Fox's career took a remarkable theatrical turn when he was cast as the Songman in the National Theatre's acclaimed production of War Horse. He performed in the West End production and subsequently in touring productions across the UK, Ireland and South Africa — bringing the same qualities of storytelling and presence that define his concert work to one of British theatre's most celebrated recent productions.

 

Jez Lowe

Jez Lowe was born in Easington Colliery, County Durham — a colliery village that has given him not just a subject but a perspective, a way of listening to the world and transforming what he hears into song. Over a career spanning around twenty albums, he has built an international reputation as one of folk music's great storytellers: a writer whose work documents ordinary life with the care and moral seriousness of the very best social realism.

Lowe has also been a principal writer for the award-winning revival of The Radio Ballads, the landmark BBC project that pioneered a documentary-music form in the 1950s and 60s. To be a principal contributor to its continuation is to stand consciously in one of British folk's most honourable traditions — and Lowe wears that responsibility with characteristic ease and generosity.

 

 

WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE NIGHT

 

 

The Pitmen Poets is not a heritage show in the sense of something preserved in amber and gazed at through glass. This is living music, performed by three artists at the height of their powers, who share a common culture and a shared conviction that the stories of working people deserve to be told with craft, humour and honesty.

 

Expect powerful songs — many of them new or newly arranged — woven together with the kind of rich, unhurried storytelling that is increasingly rare on any stage. Expect laughter, because humour is inseparable from the tradition Mitchell, Fox and Lowe are working in. Tommy Armstrong was above all a funny man, and his heirs have not forgotten it.

 

Expect, too, an evening that earns its emotion. These are songs about real communities, real losses and real resilience — and the men performing them carry all of that in their voices and their histories. The Pitmen Poets is one of those rare shows that leaves audiences feeling enlarged by the experience: more connected to the place they live, more aware of what was built and what was lost, and more grateful that there are still artists willing to hold it all in their hands and give it back to us.

 

 

NORTH EAST TOUR DATES

June – July 2025  ·  Tickets from venues and online

DATE	VENUE
Friday 26th June	The Witham, Barnard Castle
Saturday 27th June	Customs House, South Shields
Sunday 28th June	The Glasshouse (Sage), Gateshead
Thursday 2nd July	Playhouse, Alnwick
Friday 3rd July	Queens Hall, Hexham
Wednesday 8th July	Forum, Billingham
Friday 10th July	Playhouse, Whitley Bay
Saturday 11th July	Gala, Durham
Sunday 12th July	Fire Station, Sunderland

 

Tickets available from individual venues and online