Review: SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, Wolverhampton Grand - Tour
Adapting 80s and 90s films into stage plays has become an increasingly popular choice in recent times, bringing a sense of nostalgia to theatregoers but opens the same stories up to another generation; parents bring their children to see things they watched in their youth and the like. Single White Female is the latest in a long line of these to take its turn on the stage.
Single White Female has been adapted by Rebecca Reid and is directed by Gordon Greenberg, and brings the story to life of Allie (Lisa Faulkner) and Hedy (Kym Marsh), two female roommates whose story takes a dark turn when Hedy shows a somewhat very intense side to her personality. The show has been bought up to recent times with mobiles and social media taking a more central role.
Adapted by Rebecca Reid, the programme includes a detailed note explaining the rationale behind several creative decisions, such as replacing Buddy the dog with Bella, Allie’s teenage daughter. Of course, including a dog on stage is often impractical so the change is understandable, however, even with this explanation, the changes somewhat diminish the story’s sinister edge. In the film version, Hedy kills Buddy, whereas in this adaptation, it is clear that she will not harm Bella. As a result, the audience’s sense of how far Hedy is willing to go is reduced, which softens an important aspect of her character.
The production also downplays the relationship between Allie and Sam, which is far more prominent in the film. While the narrative still flows effectively, Sam ultimately feels like a minor character. Consequently, the focus of the story shifts: rather than centring on Hedy’s obsession with Allie, the narrative becomes more about her attempt to take Bella away from her. It is still a sinister story and has some thrilling moments within it, it just feels like it hasn’t gone as far as it could have done to showcase the tricky nature of intense female friendships.
Adapting the piece to the present day by encapsulating how far social media can go to influence teenage minds is a good addition, and with it, the horrors of being a teenage girl and how fragile these minds can be when tapped into by the wrong person.
The set itself becomes almost a character within the play. Although the apartment is a new build, it is constantly malfunctioning: plug sockets spark unpredictably, cracks appear in the walls, and the power frequently cuts out. Despite its simple, homely appearance, these faults effectively highlight the naivety of Allie’s character. Recently divorced and raising a teenage daughter, she has unwittingly taken on an apartment that is flawed in every sense. She then compounds this by inviting a housemate into the space who proves to be far from what she expected. Yet Allie continues to search for the positive in her circumstances.
A polished, pristine apartment would not have conveyed the same sense of vulnerability. The imperfections of the set reinforce the unease of living there and heighten the tension, particularly when Bella is left alone in the apartment and clearly feels unsafe. Whether intentional or not, the choice of a green sofa—the colour often associated with jealousy—is also a subtle and effective visual detail.
Kym Marsh is outstanding in this production. It takes a while to warm to her in the first act but this is the idea as she is new to Allie and Bella so she should feel new and awkward to the audience too. There are subtle things that she does that make you, as an audience, feel uncomfortable, acting as a crescendo in the second act to the all out havoc that she causes.
Marsh and Lisa Faulkner have good chemistry on stage, although occasionally it feels like Faulkner is holding back on certain aspects of performance. The final scene between the two of them though is electric. This is why thrillers are making such a comeback on the stage because, as an audience member, it is great viewing.
Amy Sudden as Bella is amazing. Whilst Sudden has just qualified from drama school, she has completely understood the assignment here and for the entire production, you believe she is a teenager with her awkwardness and mood swings. Had there not been such a strong Bella to bring this performance to life, we think it would have struggled to make the adaptation work.
Sudden and Marsh’s chemistry is equally compatible and does allow for some very sinister moments within the piece, such as Hedy trying to get Bella to say the”I love you” lines that she has with her mum whenever she leaves her for the weekend.
On the whole, the play is thrilling, especially if you are watching it with new eyes. It doesn’t quite hit the suspense of the original but it is thrilling in its own way and is certainly worth a watch.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Emma Littler
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