SHEWOLVES by Sarah Middleton is a funny coming-of-age story produced by SHEWOLVES Productions. Two teen girls from Derby, Priya and Lou go into the wilderness together despite their differences, each running away from what life has thrown at them.
This isn’t your regular teenage story of getting heartbroken over boys and worrying about grades. Priya and Lou struggle with climate anxiety, with the authorities who don’t see the urgency of the situation, racism, parental issues and other domestic issues, on top of trying to find themselves and fight for a better future. While these are some of the most serious problems of today’s society, all of these issues are interlaced within this light-hearted comedy about a friendship that was formed at the oddest of times and taught them about what they can do.
While this is an amazing story for teenagers to feel seen and introduced to some important issues without it being too dark and heavy, I would have liked for it to have more about climate change rather than it being used as some kind of a personality trait for Lou. I loved Lou idolising Greta Thunberg and the younger audiences getting introduced to an important figure in the fight against global warming who also is doing big things at a young age. I also highly appreciated Lou’s struggles towards trying to do the right thing and still facing negative consequences. However, this show does not use its full potential in educating younger audiences, which this play is directed at, on what they could do to help in this urgent fight.
Gurjot Dhaliwal and Harriet Waters who gave life to Priya and Lou were the only performers in the play and they successfully carried the show. They are talented performers and it was a joy to watch them. It was also highly enjoyable to watch them present two characters with different backgrounds joining forces in a common mission.
The use of lightning was very crafty with multi-dimensions. The simple reflection of the times of day, locations and surroundings was a visual delight, while the sound effects were used sparingly and quite naturally. There was limited use of props and costumes which were multifunctional. The costume changes and movements of the props were perfectly placed within the course of the show.
Overall, this was a refreshing show to watch. It is uplifting, empowering and funny, helping you take a step back from your own life for an hour, while still being present in the world surrounding us. I would recommend this play about high schoolers trying to get their voices heard for teens and everyone who has been a teen.
SHEWOLVES is now on tour. If this sounds like something you’d like to watch, catch them in Nottingham, Leeds, Portsmouth, Norwich and more. Check out the dates and venues here.
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