Debra Oswald's young adult comedy has been delighting teens and people who used to be teens for twenty eight years since 1984 - originally written as an easily tourable small-cast-with-plenty-of-doubling (two women playing single roles, two women playing two roles, one guy playing four roles). Exploring life as a sixteen year old, complete with crushes, social confusion and using food as quick-fix therapy, it's remained popular because mysteriously the process of finding out who you are, what you want and how to deal with misplaced desires and internal self-hatred has not become a whole lot easier during the last few decades.
Luke Rogers has developed an enlarged-cast production that adds a five-member ensemble to the cast and breaks up most of the doubling (except for keeping one of the male doubles). Played out on a silver reflective set and giant foam-rubber shapes as setpieces (designed by Aislinn King, along with the ultra-colourful costumes), the show is constantly moving while still keeping the emphasis firmly on protagonist Gillian and her struggles to self-acceptance - perhaps getting a bit too enthusiastic with flashy 80's-referencing-dance-moves during the set changes, but ensuring the cast has lots to do to show time, place and mood. The decision to keep it in the 80s is probably the right one without serious script changes (a "going to the movies" sequence references the largely-dead genre of teen sex comedy and there's a line about using personal computers that suggests this is just a nerdy minority pre-occupation rather than part of ongoing social existence).
Jade Breen carries most of the action as self-confessed drama queen Gillian, just on the right side of being inquisitive and thoughtful rather than overly irritating and navel-gazing. Jess Gooding gives strong confident older sister vibes as Bronwyn, Lily Welling is a shallow delight as former-friend Wendy, Breanna Kelly is a great bitter-and-twisted confidante as Monica, Hannah Cornelia gives great "wanna be with the popular kids" as Lynette, Eliott Cleaves does double duty as the somewhat sleazy Tony and the enthusiastic future-brother-in-law Biggles, William Best is an endearing not-quite-right date as Derek, Sophie Blackburn captures both the outer-beauty-and-inner-turmoile of Karen, and Matthew Hogan is suitably self-involved as Adam.
Keeping the CYT tradition of being great productions performed by young performers that can appeal to people of any age, this is fun stuff and a great way to spend an evening.
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