Dead Girls Rising
By Silent Uproar Productions
Written by Maureen Lennon
17 May 2024
Tron Theatre, Glasgow
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A daring, essential watch for anyone who wants to understand why women choose the bear.
When one of their school-mates goes missing and is presumed dead, teenagers Katie and Hannah's lives are scarred forever. In Dead Girls Rising we follow them from school to early adulthood as they find more and more reasons to fear men. Their fear breeds obsession as they listen to podcasts about serial killers and watch horror documentaries. When Katie and Hannah summon 'The Furies' - the Greek goddesses of vengeance / justice - guilty men meet their fate via the medium of punk rock music and pain.
Created and performed by award-winning theatre company Silent Uproar, Dead Girls Rising is a fun, but essential gig-theatre experience aimed at a "younger, funkier, and punkier crowd." I am unfortunately, none of those things... but I used to be! And I'm still a woman; I still carry those same fears with me. And 'Dead Girls Rising' resonated with me completely.
I want everyone I know to go see this show. It should be compulsory viewing for all high school teachers, for all parents and for everyone aged 16+. It is especially important that men see this production - yes this is why we are scared. This is why we run. This is why we act as we do. Pay attention!
As horrific as the subject matter may be, 'Dead Girls Rising' is far from a bleak night at the theatre: In fact I could not wipe the smile from my face - I grinned from beginning to end!
The set is a dark, eerie forest and the central action takes place beneath a neon goalpost. The Furies are fronted by a gorgeous, energetic, rock metal trio and their drummer is a cross between Slipknot and a disco ball. Their music is sensational! Played full volume by incredibly talented musicians, their sound is loud, furious and unapologetic. The songs are playful and full of humour but contain harsh, real world truths. It's exhilarating. I'm going to need an album please.
The lyrics by Maureen Lennon and Anya Pearson are wonderful, but some do become lost behind the power of the music. And they are far too important for that. 'Conveyor belt of fear' and 'Not all men' are some of the witty titles that stood out, but the titular song 'Dead Girls Rising' sums it up perfectly: "It's the sound of the Furies - listen up, We're the judge and jury - we don't give a F*ck"
The Furies are undeniably angry; but so they should be. Watching Hannah and Katie at various stages of their lives - seeing the impact that fear has on them and the decisions they make, from how to dress, to how to walk home - is gut-wrenching in its familiarity.
The small company of performers are all excellent, and the book is concise and complete; I was engrossed for the entire show. It can be difficult to watch at times, but if the topic of women's safety is discussed more thanks to seeing an entertaining show at the theatre, that can only be a positive thing. 'Dead Girls Rising' manages to balance darkness and light brilliantly. Indeed bright disco lights shine through the dark forest and transform the set from spooky to rock gig in an instant. It's all beautifully presented, well judged and just a whole heap of fun.
Perhaps it's because I saw Macbeth (an undoing) and its buckets of 'real blood' the previous evening, but the only thing that lacked impact for me here was the blood. It may be that the horror has been sanitised for the younger audience, but given the language and content of the rest of the show I suspect its more to do with keeping the clean up of temporary tour venues to a minimum.
Either way, 'Dead Girls Rising' is a lively, daring, feminist production that is unfortunately still necessary and relevant. If you are aware of the recent social media trend that asked women to choose between a man and a bear; and the resulting disbelief when so many opted for the bear, 'Dead Girls Rising' does an excellent job of showcasing just why that may be the case.
Now how do I summon The Furies?
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⚠️ Age Recommendation and Content Warnings: 16+ click here for more detail and potential spoilers
📸 Production photos: Grant Archer
Dead Girls Rising - Cast and Creative
Katie: Helen Reuben
Hannah: Angelina Chudi
Tisiphone: Izzy Neish
Magaera: Zoe West
Alecto: Rebecca Levy
Writer: Maureen Lennon
Compose & Musical Director: Anya Pearson
Co-directors: Ruby Clarke and Alex Mitchell
Designer: Lizzy Leach
Lighting Designer: Adam Foley
Sound Designer: XANA
Movement Director: Robia Milliner
Stage Manager: Jon Calverrt
Stage Manager (Rehearsals): Jane Williamson
Production Manager: Sarah Barton
Costume Supervisor: Caitlyn Keane
Dead Girls Rising Listings
Pocklington Arts Centre - Tuesday 14 May
Cast, Doncaster - Wednesday 15 May
The Civic, Barnsley - Thursday 16 May
Tron Theatre, Glasgow - Friday 17 & Saturday 18 May
The Traverse, Edinburgh - Tuesday 21 - Thursday 23 May
Marsden Mechanics - Saturday 25 May
The Cluntergate Centre, Horbury - Sunday 26 May
Northern Stage, Newcastle - Friday 31 May & Saturday 1 June
Liverpool Arts Club - Monday 3 June
The Welly, Hull - Tuesday 4 - Friday 7 June
The Deaf Institute, Manchester - Sunday 9 June
Sheffield Theatres - Monday 10 & Tuesday 11 June
Dead Girls Rising review, Silent Uproar Productions, Glasgow Tron Theatre, May 2024.
📸 Find Lisa in the Theatre on Instagram and Twitter / X
🎟️ Disclosure: I was invited to review this show and received a complimentary ticket in exchange. Neither the venue nor show has a say in what I write. I'm completely independent and invites have no impact on my analysis or star ratings.
SPOILER
Age recommendation and content warnings:
16 + | The play deals with themes of sexism, misogynistic violence & murder, our complicity in an unequal justice system, and the public's fascination with true crime. It includes: graphic discussions and depictions of death, violence (including domestic violence), and kidnapping; graphic discussions of sexual assault and depictions of sexual threat (including towards children); mentions of drugs; explicit language.