Bad Girls
Review
Bad Girls The Musical is a peculiar beast. On the one hand it wants to keep the grittiness of the TV show it was spawned from, with themes of suicide, blackmail and the degradation of the prison system.
On the other it adheres to the format of musical theatre almost to the point of cliche – musical numbers telegraphed by the dialogue and, more often than not, sticking out like a sore thumb while interesting plots are rushed over to make space for another song.
It is to the credit of the cast then, that they manage to overcome such a clunking script and engage the audience as each of them plays their part with conviction.
Director Sam Sampson's use of a stark stage, images projected on to the back wall and minimal set, leaves those onstage free to fill the space with their performances.
Anyone familiar with the TV show will know the characters, but the performers leave their own stamp. None more so than Jeanette Broad whose brassy 'Bodybag' Hollamby is a delight. Peter Colley too shows his skills as Jim Fenner, morphing from caring father figure to sexual predator with ease.
Praise too for Sheila Elsdon, whose bubbly Yvonne Atkins manages to be hard as nails and also protective of the younger jailbirds. Helen Stoddart's Nikki Wade gives the audience a character they can truly sympathise in while Gemma Valler, Kerri Jeffery and James George all bring life to rather flatly written characters.
Matt Merritt - The News
