BY HANNAH SISSON
Scenes with Girls is a tight comedy detailing the many ways women navigate platonic and romantic relationships, blending outrageous humour with moments of genuine earnestness.
Produced by Salad Days Collective through Queensland Theatre Company’s DOOR 3 program, the production marks the company’s latest step from Brisbane’s independent theatre scene onto one of the state’s leading stages.
The first three scenes whizz by so quickly that audiences could be forgiven for wondering if the production is simply a series of vignettes. As the characters and their stories begin to intersect, however, the play reveals itself as a cleverly constructed exploration of the complexities and contradictions of female friendships and dating.
Jasmine Prasser as Tosh and Hannah Ward as Lou instantly hook audiences with their outrageous opening scene. Their chemistry is simply unmatched.
Their use of overlapping dialogue is particularly effective and would make Caryl Churchill proud. The exchanges feel completely naturalistic as audiences are drawn into Lou’s detailed sexual escapades. Ward absolutely nails the brash, outspoken feminist, finding her footing as a young woman embracing casual sex with an unapologetic confidence.
Her best friend and roommate Tosh matches the energy and acts as the ultimate hype woman — always armed with the perfect word or definition when Lou cannot quite find the right one. Prasser is a natural performer and remains vocally powerful throughout the entire production. You can’t help but care for her turbulent and lawless character.
Georgina Sawyer brings a well timed breath of fresh air with her character, Fran. Lululemon-clad, sporting a mousy brown bob, and labubu adjacent keyring, Fran provides the perfect juxtaposition to the preceding characters.
Sawyer’s physical embodiment of Fran is subtle but hilarious. From awkward sips from her Stanley to the coy skirting around the stage, every physical choice adds another layer to the character and comedy. Fran gives audiences a moment to digest the boldness of the preceding scenes while remaining wonderfully relatable.
The three actors work brilliantly together, forming a remarkably cohesive ensemble. Each character captures a different facet of dating (or not) in their twenties, giving audiences something familiar to recognise in each of them. There is no villain, per se; instead, the three women are united in their attempts to navigate life. Even when they inevitably clash, the conflict never positions one character as entirely right or wrong. Rather, audiences find themselves rooting for the three women to reconcile, no matter how chaotic the fallout may become.
Upon entering the Diane Cilento Studio, where the play is staged, audiences are met with a makeshift house washed in pink limescale, complete with bottle-green tiles and an eclectic assortment of bric-a-brac. The perimeter of the stage is covered in piles of clothing, ranging from shirts and underwear to razors and clumps of hair extensions. It perfectly compliments the feminine chaos that ensues onstage.
Sound and lighting are also standout elements, undoubtedly enhancing the performances. Transition sound effects effectively guide audiences from scene to scene, while the music choices consistently heighten the emotion of each moment. The lighting design complements the actors beautifully, with the opening scene standing out in particular. All three ensemble members dancing to what can only be described as “hot girl pop”, surrounded by bright, colourful lighting, immediately establishes the playful tone of the production.
Scenes with Girls proves that there is plenty of comedy to be found in the messy, contradictory, and often ridiculous realities of navigating relationships. With a talented tight-knit ensemble, sharp theatrical design, and chemistry that radiates from the stage, Salad Days Collective has a strong work on its hands.
WHAT: Scenes with Girls by Salad Days Collective
WHEN: Until September 19
WHERE: Diane Cilento Studio, South Brisbane
TICKETS: Get your tickets to Scenes with Girls here.
