The Revlon Girl – Park Theatre

Grief inflicted by tragedy, be it an inconspicuous accident or a disaster etched in history, always leaves the living to pick up the pieces. Directed by Maxine Evans, this Neil Anthony Docking play tells the story of bereaved mothers, months after the Aberfan disaster, as they struggle to cope and find a way to move on.

The play opens with water dripping over the skylight suspended above the stage, with the set depicting a hotel function room. A young representative of cosmetics company Revlon (Antonia Kinlay) is invited to present products and offer beauty tips, hoping the women might begin to take care of themselves again. What she doesn’t anticipate is just how raw their grief remains, leaving her struggling to handle the situation.

First, we meet Sian (Charlotte Gray), who is encouraging and seemingly optimistic, trying to keep things going despite the tension surrounding them. Maralyn (Hedydd Dylan) is quieter and more vulnerable, struggling to come to terms with her loss. Rona (Mirain Haf Roberts) is foul-mouthed and headstrong, expressing her grief through anger and bluntness, while Jean (Llions Daniel) draws on her religious beliefs to make sense of the tragedy. Each carries her grief differently, bringing both tension and warmth to the room.

Despite its subject matter, the play has plenty of heartwarming and funny moments, mostly through the women’s quick-witted exchanges. Their banter feels natural, and there’s a real sense of friendship between them. It makes the moments when their grief surfaces all the more affecting. They discuss blame, accountability, how the men in the village are coping, and whether moving on is even possible. How do you carry on when “all the children are dead”?

Docking’s writing makes the story easy to follow, even for those unfamiliar with the Aberfan disaster. After all, this isn’t really about the disaster itself, but about those left to deal with its aftermath. The performances are excellent, with each actor conveying the different ways grief, anger, and disbelief take hold. Much of the play’s strength lies in the conversations, silences, and small moments when the women let their guard down. They are funny, difficult, vulnerable, and human, rather than simply figures defined by tragedy.

The production’s visual choices also work well. The water dripping above the stage offers a quiet reminder of the disaster. Alongside the women’s anger over their losses, it highlights how its consequences remain part of their everyday lives.

I did feel the play lost some of its rhythm at times. Some scenes turn into long stretches of one character telling their story while everyone else listens. There’s nothing wrong with these moments in themselves, and some are genuinely powerful, but the change from their usual back-and-forth can feel a bit sudden.

The Revlon Girl is a moving, thoughtful, and beautifully performed play about grief, community, and the difficult business of carrying on after unimaginable loss. Its warmth and humour sit alongside the heartbreak without diminishing it, giving these women the space to feel like real people. It is well worth a watch, with a story that will make you laugh, break your heart, and leave you thinking about the people behind one of Wales’ greatest tragedies.

Reviewer: Prateek Sonny
Reviewed: 28^th October 2026
North West End UK Rating: