Old Girls is a contemporary black comedy
written by the director, Donald Marcus, in association with Ted
Marcus. Set in London, the action takes place in the flat of the
assured and sophisticated Mallory (Keira Duffy) and her husband the
simple minded Phillip (Daniel Grant Smith). Mallory has organised a
reunion with four of her former school chums, all very much products
of the English public school system.
With Phillip’s exit the four girls arrive
in turn Ramona (Natasha Lloyd-Owen), Katherine (Lottie Kirk), Alice
(Anna Sheinman) and Jane (Josephine Starte). The girls are now very
attractive women in their mid twenties. The humour in the dialogue
is based around one-upmanship rather than camaraderie. This comes
out clearly in the put down of Jane, the bubbly homely mother, by
the sexy airhead, Katherine who has found fame as a celebrity.
However, each of the girls has their own
sinister agenda. Murder and dead bodies pile up until only one
survives the killing spree, plus Phillip who makes a timely return
– a case of the survival of the most cunning and luckiest.
Collectively, the cast maintain the high
paced tempo. There is one fight scene which could be played with
somewhat more scary menace in what is an entertaining play.
***
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