Dopa-Mean Girl manages to bring something fresh to the well-trodden ADHD topic, bringing new songs and self-deprecating jokes to Just The Tonic’s Just Up The Road.
Louisa Ní Éideáin’s one-woman show, Dopa-Mean Girl, is a show full of surprises – whether that’s the raw honesty behind the jokes or just how many sequinned clothing items she’s got in the suitcase.
Dopa-Mean Girl travels through Ní Éideáin’s life, from a child who can’t stop humming to an adult whose mood board can’t follow any one direction. With ADHD taking up more and more space in the conversation both on and off-stage, it’s no small feat to add something new and fresh to that dialogue – but Ní Éideáin nails it.
The authenticity behind her performance gives Dopa-Mean Girl its heart, even if the performance itself could be more polished. There are beats that seemingly wait for laughs that don’t come, or awkward pauses where the audience is left feeling disjointed.
Ní Éideáin is at her best when she’s making casual asides to the audience, offering glimpses of her natural charm and wit that should appear more throughout the rest of the show. That said, the on-stage charisma is enough for the audience to be more than happy to clap along and even don a sparkly helmet to see Dopa-Mean Girl along its way.
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The inclusion of phrases in Gaeilge, as well as a whole song in the language (with the vital words translated via flash cards for the non-speakers in the audience), once again drives home how deeply personal the show is and pulls you into Ní Éideáin’s world still further.
Dopa-Mean Girl feels like a gem that just needs a bit more polishing, but all the trappings for greatness are already shining. With some tighter pacing and a little more confidence in delivery, this could easily become a must-see Fringe staple in future years.
