Fetch your mates for a sassy night at Sunderland Empire as Mean Girls hits the stage

Wearing pink is just one of the many tropes from the Mean Girls hit movie of 2004 , which spawned iconic lines that are still part of our lexicon today.

And fans of the film will enjoy spotting the sassy one-liners which are peppered through the musical version.

For those not familiar with the plot, the show is based on Cady Heron who has to transition from the big cats of Africa for an altogether meaner breed: the teenage girls that stalk the corridors of an American high school.

The titular Mean Girls are the Plastics, a shallow clique who rule the roost at North Shore High with their razor sharp put downs and catty remarks.

This is a super high-energy adaptation of the film, with some great writing, as you would expect from comedy genius Tina Fey, that keeps the pace moving along in a snappy fashion.

In the starring role of Cady Heron is Emily Lane who has a great energy and relatability, managing to step out of Lindsay Lohan’s shoes to make the role her own.

At her side are the brilliant Max Gill as Damian Hubbard and Georgie Buckland as Janis Sarkisian who have great chemistry and comic timing as they plan to take down meanest girl of them all, Regina George, with some powerhouse vocals that pack an emotional punch.

The Queen Bee, played on opening night by Lillia Squires, does indeed have a real sting in her tail, and some of the show’s best fashion looks, as she delivers her killer insults.

Her minions, with Kiara Dario as Gretchen and Rebekah Bryant as Karen, are also really good fun to watch and make the Plastic predators as fresh - and fetch - as they were 22 years ago.

Making a return to Sunderland was Faye Tozer, who is just brilliant on the stage. She takes on a trio of roles in this show - Ms Norbury, Mrs Heron and Mrs George - and is so good, and fast at costume changes, you forget it’s one actress.

Clad in a pink velour tracksuit and clutching a pina colada, she’s particularly brilliant as non-regular cool mom Mrs George and it’s a shame that character doesn’t have more lines in the musical.

The sets don’t quite seem to match the energy of the cast, however, and aren’t as snazzy or immersive as some of the other shows on the circuit. (Please don’t put me in the Burn Book for saying so)

But the cast are so polished and energetic that they help to bring vibrant life to the school corridors and bedrooms of this teen drama.

Score-wise, it also lacks one big killer tune that you can’t stop singing, but the poppy, well-written musical numbers do add an extra depth to the characters and help bring the story up to date.

Regina’s revenge track, World Burn, is a real highlight as she snarls her way through the lines, laced with mockery and malevolence.

Many of the characters get their own track in the musical and Karen’s Sexy song, in which she wishes it were Halloween everyday for the hot costumes - along with world peace - is another great Mean Girls addition.

Like the show, it’s not the kind of music that takes itself too seriously and that’s the joy of it.

Go fetch your mates for this sassy and super feel-good survival of the fittest tale.

*Mean Girls is at Sunderland Empire until Saturday, April 11, 2026. Tickets from https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/mean-girls/sunderland-empire/