Mean Girls on tour left me thinking about a tricky question: when a show is polished, loud, and brilliantly performed, what makes it truly memorable? I start by sharing my recent theatre reviews, from the UK touring production of Mean Girls the Musical to the darker, sharper end of the spectrum with Switzerland at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. One leans on pop-cultural familiarity and high-octane choreography, the other proves how much tension a two-hander can generate when direction, design, and performance are absolutely locked in.
Then I’m joined by Helen Arbon and Ali Crawley from Sudbury Dramatic Society to talk about their latest production: Underdog: The Other Other Brontë. It’s a contemporary, fast-paced, very funny play that's not afraid of adult language, and it takes a fresh swing at a familiar literary dynasty. We get into why Anne Brontë so often becomes the overlooked sister, how the play imagines the family dynamics through Charlotte’s perspective, and what it reveals about rivalry, reputation, and the pressures women faced to be published and believed.
We also dig into the practical craft of making community theatre feel bold: staging on three sides at Sudbury Arts Centre, using ensemble actors to become critics, publishers, and voices, and building energy with movement, music, and playful theatrical moments. If you’re searching for Suffolk theatre recommendations, Sudbury Dramatic Society updates, or a smart modern Brontë sisters play, you’ll find plenty to take away here. Subscribe for more East Anglian theatre chats, share this with a local theatre mate, and leave a review telling me what you’re going to see next.
Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör
Ray Tempesta. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Ray Tempesta och inte av,
eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.
