A Fantastically Fetch Touring Production
Mean Girls (Tour) | Woking Theatre | ★★★★
Ever since Mean Girls made the leap from screen to stage, it has felt like a musical destined to evolve. From its Broadway beginnings at the August Wilson Theatre to its glossy West End run at the Savoy Theatre, the show has constantly refined itself. Now out on tour, it proves that North Shore High travels extremely well.
Touring productions sometimes feel like scaled-down versions of the real thing, but Mean Girls makes the transition feel surprisingly natural. The changes introduced since the original Broadway production remain firmly in place and continue to work brilliantly. The storytelling feels tighter, the comedy sharper, and the pacing keeps everything moving at exactly the right speed. While this version is slightly less glitzy than the West End production, with fewer big dance breaks and a little less visual sparkle, it never feels lacking. Instead, it leans into character and ensemble storytelling, which turns out to be one of its greatest strengths.
It is often the smallest details that make this production shine. One of my favourite running touches is the way members of the ensemble slowly begin adopting Karen’s signature style throughout the show. It is subtle, silly, and completely in keeping with the world of the musical. There are also constant interactions happening across the stage, little reactions, shared looks, and background moments that make the school feel alive rather than staged. You get the sense that every performer has built a fully realised student at North Shore.
The ensemble deserves huge praise. They bring relentless energy from start to finish and commit fully to every number. Even transitional scenes feel vibrant because the company never lets the momentum drop. Their enthusiasm is infectious and gives the show a joyful heartbeat.
Not every joke lands perfectly. There are still a handful of lines that make you cringe slightly, but honestly, that awkwardness feels very Mean Girls. The humour has always lived somewhere between clever satire and teenage chaos, and those occasional groan-worthy jokes somehow add to the charm rather than detract from it. The show knows exactly what it is, and it embraces that with confidence.
At the heart of this story is Emily Lane as Cady Heron, guiding the show fantastically with a performance full of warmth and sincerity. She brings a wonderfully bubbly infectiousness to Cady, making her journey feel genuinely heartfelt rather than naive. Her vocals are beautifully clear and assured, anchoring the production emotionally while matching the show’s high-energy comedy beat for beat. Across the entire company, the vocal standard is astonishing. This really is a 10/10 cast who serve some of the most outstandingly effortless, consistent and healthy belting you could hope to hear, creating a sound that feels powerful yet completely sustainable night after night.
Leading The Plastics is Vivian Panka as Regina George, and she is phenomenal. Her effortless belt is astonishing to witness live, soaring through the theatre with ease. What really impresses, though, is her control. She glides around the stage with quiet authority, conveying Regina’s icy judgment through the smallest facial expressions. A glance or slight curl of the lip says more than any line ever could.
Fresh from playing Andie Sacks in The Devil Wears Prada, Georgie Buckland steps into Janis like it was written especially for her. Her vocals are faultless, but it is her character work that really stands out. She balances humour with vulnerability beautifully, giving us a Janis who is funny, bitter, insecure, fiercely loyal and completely human. It is a layered and deeply engaging performance.
As Damian, Max Gill radiates joy. They use every second of stage time to its fullest potential, adding warmth and playful energy that lifts every scene they're in. Their presence brings lightness to the show and creates some of its biggest laughs.
Rounding out The Plastics, Kiara Dario is utterly charming as Gretchen, capturing both her desperation to belong and her comic panic perfectly, and Sophie Pourret delivers a Karen who is as adorably clueless as you could possibly hope for. She is sweet, dozy, and completely lovable. Duh.
It is remarkable to think how the original Mean Girls has grown into a stage musical with its own identity and legacy. What began as a cult teen comedy has become a theatrical comfort show for many audiences, constantly adapting while keeping its sharp humour intact.
This touring version might not have quite the same level of sparkle as the West End production, but it captures the heart of Mean Girls beautifully. It is funny, energetic, occasionally chaotic, and full of personality.
It is definitely a marmite show. Some people will never quite click with its heightened style or unapologetic teen humour. Personally, I am firmly on the loving side. This production is fetch, funny, and packed with talent, and I would absolutely recommend grabbing a seat at North Shore High while you can!
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