As teenagers, we all knew a ‘mean girl’ or two; either you were on the receiving end, or you were the one doling it out. As adults, we also understand that behind all that bravado there is, nearly always, a person riddled with insecurities. It’s this notion, tied in with themes of race, beauty and friendship, that American playwright Jocelyn Bioh explores in this big-hearted comedy that first premiered off-Broadway in 2017.
The action unfurls against the backdrop of a mountainous Ghanaian landscape, and the opening moments are awash with a soft, yellow glow that immediately lands you beneath a hot sun. It’s 1986 at Ghana’s Aburi Girls boarding school, and five schoolgirls - headed up by cruel queen bee Paulina (Tara Tijani) - eagerly await the arrival of the Miss Ghana pageant recruiter. Paulina fancies herself as the front-running contender; that is, until the arrival of pretty, light-skinned transfer student Ericka (Anna Shaffer). Both the girls and the recruiter fawn over Ericka and Paulina flails, feeling the power rapidly slipping from her grip.
