Girls Like That by Evan Placey was recorded in 2015 in its premiere at Unicorn Theatre, London. You can watch it here.
Esther Baker’s production employs a simple reconfigurable design on the Unicorn’s thrust stage, with nondescript classroom chairs which are arranged and re-arranged to new spaces. The 6 actors have a primary character whom each portrays at different ages through school years, while there are occasional monologues that take on a historical female persona. Throughout, the way women are viewed by men is examined, and in particular, the line between a “good girl” and a “slut”. I use both of these terms in quotations, as they are indicative of the male gaze, and the angel/whore dichotomy that women have been relegated to throughout history.
On one hand, it is great to hear the voices of young women, discussing these issues and tackling the challenges of being young and female. On the other, however, these are largely on the surface, and focused almost entirely on what others think of them, and less on what they think of themselves. There are glimpses of this truth, however fleeting. I didn’t feel the script offered insight into what the girls were really thinking and feeling but rather looked only at their public mask.
I wonder if I would have felt differently had I encountered this at its premiere in 2014. I’m not certain.