In a time when people as young as 13 years old can have every detail of their existence plastered across the globe on numerous media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Yellow (heard described as ‘Tinder for ‘preteens’), it is no surprise that Lyceum Youth Theatre’s air-tight, estrogene-fuelled ensemble are baring down on the inequality of young peoples' online lives. Apropos to the state of our globes gender equality, Girls Like That zooms in on the issues facing today’s adolescents and where the real scandals lie.
When a naked photo of Scarlett is leaked around her school, smartphones click, buzz and pop firing rumours and inconclusive judgements to every corner of the internet. Her place within the social hierarchy is long forgotten, with not even a rung of ladder left below her. However, when an intimate image of a boy circulates, he is commended and crowned as a lad.
Delving into the core of gender prejudices, Evan Placey’s demanding script provides a perfect platform for 20 young women to question the social norms surrounding their every day lives.
Vibrant and vivacious from the first beat, the ‘#LYTGirls17’ embodied every character expected to be found in a UK secondary school, leaving no social norm unquestioned. Each performer offered an individual performance worthy of note, whilst seamlessly slipping into the exceptional ensemble. Rachael Esdale’s direction of timeline transitions occurs so naturally that it only enforces the feminine unity evident throughout.
Like a force to be reckoned with, the unified voice of these girls bellows to the rafters of Traverse Two, challenging their own everyday lives and the formalities of an adolescent pecking order. The casts' ability to incorporate such activism into a practically professional performance is outstanding. If Beyonce’s hit “Run The World” has any weight in the organisation and running of our future, let’s hope it is run by Girls Like That.
Running until Saturday 11 March