Review: Scenes with Girls, Golden Goose Theatre

As the audience take their seats, they are greeted with a sweet image of best friends and flatmates, Lou (Hannah Renar) and Tosh (Lyndsey Ruiz), giggling, chatting and lounging amongst the set. The opening scene unfolds with Lou recounting one of her sexual escapades. She fizzes with energy, hardly able to keep still, while Tosh drinks in her story, their dialogue quipping back and forth effortlessly. They are on the same wavelength; the picture of closeness and platonic intimacy.

Emily Nelson’s set design helps solidify this immediate feeling of stepping into their world. Cosy, with a lived-in, slightly messy and youthful edge; patterned rugs of various shapes and sizes line the stage floor, a sofa is draped with blankets, a trunk-turned-table holds plush toys, snacks and trinkets and an exercise ball lays nearby (used for Lou’s squats, as a weapon during a play fight and which is rolled on by Tosh throughout).

Miriam Battye’s punchy, candid script revolves around female friendship and the societal pressure to focus on men and romantic relationships. Lou and Tosh opt to fight “the narrative” (conventions that marginalise and silence women) but they inhabit opposite ends of the spectrum; Tosh is celibate and Lou is empowered by her engagement in casual sex. Most of the girls’ conversations are rooted in selfishness and cruelty, and are mainly directed towards Fran (Eli Rose-Cooper), a ‘friend’ who used to live in the flat. Sweet Fran (deemed weak by Lou and Tosh for conforming to patriarchal standards and moving in with her boyfriend) is a breath of fresh air, providing some comic relief amongst the girls’ chaotic nature and inside jokes.

Lou and Tosh’s friendship slowly becomes difficult to root for. This is down to the script, which feels abrasive at times. The best friends waffle on about their ideologies and all that comes to mind is ‘the lady doth protest too much’. Tensions run high and Tosh finally snaps, blaming both Lou’s obsession with sex and her lack of attention to their friendship as the reasons. They come to realise, following a brief friend breakup, that their love is all they need.  

Renar’s Lou radiates confidence, although there is a building tension within her that can be felt throughout, as if she is hindered by a growing discontentment with her life and choices. Ruiz plays the bold and unconventional Tosh with conviction. Renar and Ruiz’s chemistry is strong and together, they are clearly most at home in the comedic scenes. The weak spots are within the more intense, emotional scenes that are lacking depth at points and some line deliveries feel repetitive in tone.

Director, Alex Stroming, utilises the space well. Pacing wise, scenes flow nicely and the actors are comfortable, both with the movement (dancing, exercising, play fighting) and character choices. There’s a neat cyclicality to the structure: at the final montage scene after Tosh returns, the pair quickly return to where they left off. They dance and catch-up, watch movies on the sofa, looking at a small disco light under a blanket whilst music underscores the moment.

Although valid, interesting points are made in this play, it feels performative and the plot a tad clichéd. The characters are still finding their feet, as all 20-somethings are, but the play has room to dig a little deeper. There are, however, really strong moments throughout T. Regina Theatre Company’s production, with the overall high standard of design and direction supporting the well-constructed characters created by the cast.

Written by: Miriam Battye
Directed by: Alex Stroming
Designed by: Emily Nelson
Lighting by: Phil Hamilton
Produced by: T.Regina Theatre Company, Eli Rose-Cooper, Lyndsey Ruiz, Emily Farley

Scenes with Girls runs at the Golden Goose Theatre until Saturday 3 May.