This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing @ Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh

We all know that growing up can be a bit chaotic and everyone struggles with big decisions. This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing is a revolutionary and important story, celebrating the strength and courage present in every little girl. Following global success, this fairytale with universal appeal, written by Finegan Kruckemeyer, makes its Scottish premiere with Stellar Quines, in a new musical version directed by Jemima Levick.

The story's premise is as dark as most ancient fables: a set of triplets lose their mother and their father spirals into a depression before leading them into the woods, leaving them to fend for themselves. The show follows the three young girls as they become women, examining how this initial traumatic event stimulates three very different but normal reactions.

The script is brilliant and full of playful and relatable characters (everyone knows someone like the grumpy badger). Kruckemeyer employs joyful and accessible imagery to approach big issues in fun ways, injecting one-liners that ring with humour as the three girls navigate thier tricky situation (a highlight being the moment one of the trio “felt like a teabag”). 

Extensive credit is due to the cast, who slickly run riot and maintain an unpredictable pace of storytelling. The triplets (Kim Allan, Rehanna MacDonald and Betty Valencia) are utterly charming and full of energy as they rock their yellow raincoats and bobble hats; it’s wonderful to see three young Scottish females represented on stage. Ewan Somers is notably bubbly and loveable as the sad father, and it’s impressive to see them all jump in and out of various roles so smoothly.

A genius touch is the question and answer session after the play, featuring Levick and the cast. It gives children a first-hand insight into how to tell a story on stage, and highlights Stellar Quine's commitment to engaging schools and young people with the arts. 

This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing is a colourful jam-packed hour, with moments of hilarity and sensitivity. Its an inspiring show for young people to watch, encouraging them to do what they need to do, dream big and find their own path.

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Run ended; part of Edinburgh International Children's Festival
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