Review: Bad Girls at Harlow Playhouse

By Harlow Amateur Theatre Society (HATS)

EVERYTHING that is great about HATS was summed up in the two hours they performed Bad Girls in Theatre 2 at the Harlow Playhouse.

It began with a heartbreaking entrance as a teenage prisoner Rachel, played with incredible sensitivity by Lucia Banks, is brought into the prison.

It is the followed by a musical number where we are introduced to each female inmate of HMP Larkhall.

What each cast member is able to do here and throughout the performance is carve out a complete and compelling personality for each character.

Some are a force of nature like Shell, played with incredible force by Sasha Hambling. The same can be said of Nikki, played by Cara Bentley. Cara is such an integral part of all HATS shows she is in.

But with so many musical numbers it was so important that the girls could sing. And how. There were two particular numbers in the second half that were real showstoppers. Freedom by Crystal (Charlotte Dennis) and Sorry by Julie Saunders (Katie Parker).

One of the great strengths of this show was the choreography. So praise must go to choreographer, Courtney Goodman. She has recently graduated and so had a baptism of fire to arrange dance numbers with up to sixteen performers in a studio theatre! The tap dancing number was a real tour de force.

HATS are very good at using all the space. See urinals scene for details. They also used the outside the studio very well as well (when you see the show you will know).

This was the type of show that had to get the acting/dancing/singing absolutely on point. If one of them fell down, then that was it.

Some actors may have stolen the show but it was also the discipline of others that was so important. The two Julie’s (Emma Brookes and Katie Parker) were a case in point. You get actresses such as Emma who are cornerstones in perofownces such as this.

The prison staff were too very good. Each one of them carved out very strong characters. James Kenneth was very formidable. Helen Wach a great foil whilst Lucy Elliott extracted great sympathy from her character.

As for Lee Kenneth as The Number One. There is one scene I can’t quite get out of my mind. In fact there is a lot in that scene which the audience may find “unforgettable”.

Praise to director Michelle Fisher as this was such a complex but well disciplined production. The two hours flew by as each scene was so taulty directed.

This was a director (as well as Assistant Director Abbie Martin) who got so much out of each actor and each scene.

There were so many scene changes but each scene had a character of its own. Inventive use of CCTV.

It was also great to have a live band. Well done to Panny Charalambouse, Mark Smith and the team.

Since they launched in 2019, this is, in our opinion, their forte, their greatest strength.

What as asset they have become to the Harlow theatre community.

Performance conținue through to Saturday night.

Click below for more details.

https://playhouseharlow.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873651332