Playwright Katy Warner and Artistic Director of New Ghosts Theatre Company Lucy Clements have collaborated for seven years. For five of those, they have worked on a new play, Girl Band, which has made its world premiere at Riverside Theatres. An impressive team of 24 female and non-binary artists has worked hard to make this production and serve Warner’s vision.

Girl Band. Photo © Phil Erbacher

The story of Girl Band has autobiographical roots: an audition which was a success for her sister but not for Warner, one that made Warner wonder: “if we’d caused a scene, if we’d created some kind of dramatic backstory, would she have made it a little further?”

Set in 1994, the five-member group The Sensation Girls are practicing hard for a showcase performance in a few weeks. When their main gal-pal and shining star of the group, Dee Dee, is replaced by Kiki (Madeline Marie Dona), all are resistant to accepting her. Kiki’s showbiz dreams are soon crushed by the realisation that neither fame nor the music industry is as she expected it to be.

Reminiscent of the Spice Girls and costumed like Bratz dolls, each...