‘School Girls or The African Mean Girls Play’ – Delightful

By Alix Cohen

We’ve all known the malicious queen bee who subjugates a group of girls, playing on lack of self confidence, half convincing them her coolness will rub off; the one whose comeuppance can’t come soon enough.

School Girls is not a transplanted version of Tina Fey’s Mean Girls. Ghanaian Jocelyn Bioh’s play emerges with the perspective of a unique social prism. Pop touchstones of the era (1980s) are wonderfully specific as is droll misinformation: to these girls, for example, in America, Conway’s and Walmart are trendy sources of fashion.

This is the team that gave us the playwright’s terrific Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. As in her last piece, Bioh has skillfully balanced humor with issues – here, color prejudice, self worth, hierarchy, and adolescent identity. Teenage vernacular and priorities are on target.

Were there a Tony category for Ensemble Work, School Girls would be a prime candidate. There isn’t a weak link in the excellent, largely recognizable cast.

We’re at the struggling Aburi Girls Boarding School in Central Ghana. Many of the students are on scholarship. Paulina (Denée Benton) tyrannizes fellow students Ama (Lucia Aremu), Nana (Erin Morton), Gifty (Nia Otchere-Sarfo), and Mercy (Jordan Rice), who become fawning acolytes in her presence. When she makes fun of one, the others apologize after Paulina exits.

Nana, who is chronically overweight, and Ama, who’s feisty enough not to consistently tow the line, are current victims of the queen’s abuse. The former is an easy target, the latter has an actual boyfriend while Paulina’s soccer hero guy may be fictional.

Everyone is gearing up for the arrival of the Miss Ghana recruiter. She turns out to be Eloise (Patina Miller), a woman with whom headmistress Francis (Heather Alicia Simms) went to school as well as having been Miss Ghana 1966. By all indications she’s another Paulina.

Eloise has an excess of curls on steroids, is poured into her suit, and determined to achieve career security by picking the head to be crowned. A win would (also) benefit the country, the school and the titleholder.

Into this established caste system, unwittingly in time for the selection, comes new student, Ericka (Jasmine Amy Rogers.) She’s attractive, open, immediately well liked by everyone but Paulina, and fair notably skinned. Underhanded exploits ensue.

The talent show indicates a clear winner, but based on other criteria, Frances has a different pick than Eloise. There are, however, legal impediments. Fights break out. Surprising backgrounds are revealed.

Director Whitney White is as creative with singular gestures as she is with group reactions which feel fugue-like. Everything is believable; ostensibly unaware comedy superb. The piece has a big heart and effervescent buoyancy, but its message is clear.

Scenic Design (Teresa L. Williams ) is effective. Its cafeteria ceiling describes the building’s unique architecture. A picture window is particularly well employed.

Costumes by Qween Jean include attractive, regionally influenced uniforms, the head mistress’s colorful, indigenous ensembles, and accurate 1980’s eveningwear that will make you wince in recollection.
Wig, Hair, Make-up Design by Nikiya Mathis is varied, realistic, and aesthetically appealing.

Dialect/ Vocal Coach Dawn-Elin Fraser has done a remarkable job keeping accents of the girls’ class much like one another.
Sound Design (Cody Spencer) features American and African pop contributing palpable atmosphere.

Photos by Matthew Murphy
Opening: Nia Otchere-Sarfo, Erin Morton, Jasmine Amy Rogers, Jordan Rice, Heather Alicia Simms, Patina Miller, Lucia Aremu, and Denée Benton

School Girls or The African Mean Girls Play by Jocelyn Bioh
Directed by Whitney White
Manhattan Theatre Club Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 West 47th Street
https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/