Mean Girls The Musical has arrived in Cardiff for the first time and it is a glossy, high energy production that manages to capture everything people loved about the cult film while giving it a fresh modern twist.
Based on the iconic movie, the stage version packs in the comedy, the classic quotes, the sass and all the delicious meanness you would expect, wrapped up in a fast paced night of big songs and even bigger laughs.
As someone who loved the original film, I went along with my two kids who grew up with the newer version, and it was interesting to see how both generations connected with it in different ways. The audience was awash with pink, even on a Tuesday night, with groups of friends clearly leaning into the spirit of the show with little nods to the movie.
The story still follows home schooled Cady Heron as she enters the ruthless social world of North Shore High. When she gets tangled up with the school’s ruling trio known as The Plastics, Regina, Gretchen and Karen, she soon discovers that high school politics can be far more savage than anything she encountered growing up in the wild with her zoologist parents.
The cast are phenomenal, especially considering how young many of them are, which feels entirely right for a story set in high school. Emily Lane brings a lovely sense of innocence to Cady at the start, before gradually shifting into the sharper edge of the popular girl as the story unfolds.
There are so many standout characters, but Georgie Buckland as Janis and Max Gill as Damian bring fantastic chemistry and comic timing, lighting up the stage with their playful energy from the very beginning.
Meanwhile Vivian Panka as Regina George commands attention whenever she appears. With cutting one liners and a confident swagger, she captures the intimidating power of the queen bee perfectly.
For me though, the real scene stealer is Kiara Dario as Gretchen. She delivers exactly the right balance of frantic energy and nervous loyalty, perfectly capturing the character’s constant struggle to stay in Regina’s good books. It is a performance that is funny, believable and surprisingly relatable.
The production itself is bright, modern and constantly moving. Slick digital backdrops and quick scene changes keep the pace racing along, while colourful staging and energetic choreography bring the heightened world of teenage drama to life across the WMC stage.
What really works is how the musical has been updated to feel relevant to younger audiences, while still holding onto everything that made the original film so loved. It is sharp, self aware and packed with jokes that land just as well for parents as they do for teenagers.
Mean Girls is a joyful night out that proves the story still has plenty to say about friendship, popularity and growing up.
Mean Girls The Musical is at the Wales Millennium Centre until Saturday 14 March 2026.
MEAN GIRLS
TUESDAY 10 – SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2026
CARDIFF WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE
