Nothing plastic about Mean Girls at Curve Leicester
Based on the 2004 teen comedy movie, Mean Girls on stage follows the same story which sees a homeschooled girl head to America and become embroiled in the complexities of teenage cliques at high school.
The original film starred Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron, who befriends outsiders Janis and Damian. They soon convince her to infiltrate the “Plastics”, a trio of wealthy superficial girls led by Regina George (Rachel McAdams) who rule North Shore High School.
This rock musical respects the well-loved original and we get a host of familiar scenes as Cady (played her by Emily Lane) learns the ropes of school in-groups and adolescent etiquette.
Wanting to fit in yet feeling out of place, her two new outcast friends encourage Cady to destroy the phoney Plastics but she also has eyes for her fellow student Aaron (Ben Oatley).
The stage show excellently uses the school location well for its scene setting and props. An early number has classroom tables spinning like tops whilst cafeteria benches and food trays become a whirlwind of theatrical movement later on.
And on the back of all this frantic action, it’s the choreography I felt was the real star of the show. Casey Nicholaw infuses all the dance performances with tremendous energy, whether they be classic big band numbers or expressive slow-motion sequences. The whole cast gave terrific physical turns which was a true highlight throughout.
The songs for me came in a distant second though. I never felt any sense that there were a glut of real showstoppers or toe-tappers and many blandly-blurred into the next. It’s not the fault of this production but the original musical itself to be fair. You get given what you get given.
However, there are a few standouts songs in the score including “Apex Predator”, “What’s Wrong with Me” and especially “Someone Gets Hurt”, a Bond-inspired epic sung powerfully by Vivian Panka as Regina.
For me, the unsung heroes of the night were Max Gill as Damian and Georgie Buckland as Janis. They got the plum lines, the best jokes, a variety of quirky songs and were a joy every time they arrived on stage. Buckland especially delivered understated moments with a big personality and even larger voice.
Also of note was scene-stealer Faye Tozer who played 3 characters - sometimes within seconds of each other with astonishing off-stage costume changes. The Steps singer lit up the place with her brief but impactful moments mixing brilliant singing and hilarious comedy chops.
Fans of the film (both the original AND the film of the musical) will no doubt enjoy another version of Tina Fey’s excellent story. And this UK-touring production of the teen classic delivers enough entertainment for devotees, as well as possibly converting a few new enthusiasts to its engaging tale of teenage turmoil.
Michael Sales
Mean Girls shows at Curve Leicester Tue 5 - Sat 9 May 2026
Age guidance: 10+
Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes (including 20 minute interval)
Tickets & more info at https://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/mean-girls/
Catch the show on its UK Tour around the Midlands in Wolverhampton, Nottingham and Birmingham -
https://meangirlsmusical.com
