Written by Abby Greenhalgh and co-directed with Megan Dunlop, Bossy Boot Productions presents Strange Young Girls, a bold new play inspired by the real-life friendship between Michelle Phillips (The Mamas & The Papas) and Sue Lyon (Lolita). Winner of Best Play, Best Writing, Best Direction, and Best Actor at the Durham Drama Festival, it is a coming-of-age tale as these two characters come to terms with their changing identities, the uncertainty of their futures, and whether their friendship will last.
Set in Los Angeles during the swinging sixties, the play focuses on 17-year-old Michelle (played by Grace Graham) as she prepares for her new life in San Francisco. While packing, Michelle is suddenly interrupted by the return of her 14-year-old best friend, Sue (played by Posy Portwood), from starring in her first big film in London. From the moment they’re reunited, Graham and Portwood have great chemistry together whilst portraying the growing distance between them as the play progresses.
Although the play is only 50 minutes, Greenhalgh somehow manages to delve rather deeply into both characters, Michelle, slightly chaotic, sarcastic, and more free-spirited, while Sue, although younger, seems more mature, logical, and straight-talking. What brings them together is their love for each other despite their circumstances. We hear their thoughts on each other’s relationships, just as friends would, even if they say things you don’t want to hear. Graham and Portwood work so well together in showing the layers of this friendship in a short time, it is easy to forget the time it is set in, as their bond feels almost timeless; the record player occasionally playing 60s hits offers a gentle reminder.
Both characters are so colourful, yet the audience is given some insight into the precarious position they are in as women in 1960s America; they just want to feel safe, know who they are and feel like they belong, even if this desire for freedom sadly pulls them in different directions. Michelle certainly emphasises Sue’s exploitation within the film industry, as a rising child star, which perhaps could’ve been delved into even more. There were moments you would forget that Sue was just fourteen from the way Portwood carried herself, but perhaps that was the point of her characterisation, that she seemed so grown up, yet she is so young.
Some poetic and poignant moments nicely offset the growing tension between the friends, particularly through Michelle and her descriptions of the world around her. The writing felt imaginative and idealistic, which reflected her character.
Strange Young Girls offers a hauntingly beautiful portrayal of transitioning from girlhood to womanhood and the impact it can have on your sense of self, your friendships and your future in a world where finding freedom in a male-dominated world can at times feel hopeless.
Reviewer: Gemma Prince
Reviewed: 5th August 2025
North West End UK Rating: