As Mean Girls continues its acclaimed run at the Savoy Theatre, Zoë Rainey brings three distinct characters to life in the West End’s most talked-about musical. We sat down with Zoë to discuss her journey from Northern Ireland to London, the importance of regional theatre, and the unique challenges and joys of juggling multiple roles on stage and parenthood offstage.
Zoë’s journey to the West End began far from the capital. “I was born in Northern Ireland, which feels like a very different world to London,” Zoë reflects on her roots. Early exposure to theatre came thanks to a family friend’s advice: “When I was seven, my mum asked a friend what her children were doing at the weekends, and they recommended a Saturday stage school. So my sister and I both went along, and we attended for 11 years, until I decided it was what I wanted to do professionally.”
Support from family was crucial. “Luckily, my mum was very kind and drove me everywhere, getting me to all the amateur dramatics shows throughout the year to help me gain experience. At that time in Northern Ireland, there were a lot of really good shows being staged, so I was able to be involved in all that, and I caught the acting bug.”
Zoë’s background makes her passionate about the role of local theatres. “Regional theatre is hugely important. To come to London as a family is a huge expense. It means everyone has the opportunity to see something on their doorstep.”
Having toured extensively, Zoë cherishes the unique energy of each region: “It is special for us to visit those regional areas as well, because you get a very different vibe. Glasgow audiences are wild,” she laughs. “They’re notoriously interactive. You get a real flavour of the country when you visit different places.”
Early exposure to theatre is something else Zoë feels strongly about. “Especially for children, being able to experience theatre at a young age is so important. The fact that funding for school theatre trips has been cut is heartbreaking, because it means so many children will never know the joy of going to the theatre.”
Bringing Mean Girls to Life
“Mean Girls brings the classic 2004 film to life; it’s a high school coming-of-age story that’s also about fitting in. I think everybody struggles with that. The show really captures that, as well as the experience of going to a new place and making friends. It explores the aesthetics of popularity, what it truly means, and the essence of friendship and being a good person,” Zoë explains.
She notes the show’s relevance in today’s world: “Cancel culture is huge now; nobody is safe. But you’ve just got to be kind in this world. You might benefit from being mean for a while, but eventually people tire of it. That’s what we aim to tell people: be kind.”
Landing the role in Mean Girls was a milestone, especially as a parent. “It was unbelievable. I couldn’t quite believe it because I think they’d been auditioning for quite a while, and I was brought in a bit later in the process. I’d missed the initial hype, so I thought, I’ll just go in, enjoy myself, and meet some people.”
The offer came as a shock. “Then they called to offer me the part, and I was just amazed – it was huge. It was also my first job since becoming a mum, so it was significant in that respect too. Suddenly, I realised I was going to be a working mum.”
Being a working parent in theatre brings its own challenges. “It’s a huge thing. The logistics are probably the most complicated aspect of it all. We’ve been very lucky to find some really lovely people to look after my daughter.”
Parenthood has also changed Zoë’s experience of company life. “It changes the whole experience, because you can’t socialise as much, and that’s part of the joy of being in a show’s community. But it also gives you such meaning. I want to do it because I want to show my daughter what can be done. She loves this show; anytime she sees a poster, she shouts out ‘Regina George’ and starts singing the songs. To be able to share this with her has been incredibly special.”
In Mean Girls, Zoë plays Ms Norbury, Mrs George, and Mrs Heron. “I actually love playing the three roles. I wasn’t sure how involved they would be – when you read the script, it’s hard to tell. But every time I’m offstage, I’m changing into a different version of myself.”
Creating distinction between the roles was a creative process: “Casey and I discussed how to make them truly distinct. I made Ms Norbury closest to myself – my accent, my tone of voice. Then I pitched Mrs George higher and Mrs Heron lower. But the most fun has to be Mrs George. She’s outrageous; you can really take her character anywhere. I don’t think there’s any situation where she wouldn’t be over the top.”
Zoë has a soft spot for Ms Norbury: “I do love Ms Norbury, though, because she’s a strong character. She’s a strong woman, looking after teenagers in a modern high school – good luck to her! She has to have some grit, and I love that.”
Working with Tina Fey
Tina Fey, creator of Mean Girls, has been hands-on with the London production. “She’s been so involved, and her husband, Jeff, wrote the music. They’ve both visited together, which has been really special. She attended rehearsals, and it was amazing to watch her jot down a new joke on a post-it note, hand it to an actor, and see it added to the scene. I couldn’t believe our luck that she was so interested and invested in making it the best it could be.”
Zoë is full of admiration for Tina’s approach: “She’s an incredibly successful and busy woman, but she was really invested in making this the best version of the show. Her comedy, whether kept from the film or newly added, is just so funny. Audiences love it, and it’s been special to know that she wants it to succeed and truly cares.”
Zoë is effusive about the cast: “Honestly, I know it sounds cliché, but it really is a fantastic group. From day one, everyone was phenomenal. They came in with their characters fully formed – solid in their choices, yet open to adapting and improving. They’re all phenomenal.”
Zoë is inspired by the younger cast: “I’ve learned so much from the others. They have huge careers ahead of them; they’re just incredible.”
Press night stands out as a highlight. “It was a particular high for everybody. Tina was there, along with Lorne Michaels, the creator of Saturday Night Live. Performing comedy in front of Lorne Michaels was quite an honour! I don’t think I’ll ever forget that night.”
Mean Girls as a Musical
Zoë is a fan of the show’s infectious score: “I love it – it’s so catchy and infectious. Each song tells a different story, not only through Nell Benjamin’s lyrics but also through the musical styles Jeff has chosen. His choices of genre are so clever.”
The set design, too, gets high praise: “I think the set design is incredibly smart, and the way they’ve chosen to stage the show is brilliant. Tina writes in a quick, sketch-like style, probably influenced by Saturday Night Live. Bringing on large set pieces and removing them for each scene wouldn’t have worked. Using screens was the only way, and they’re so classy and effective. They’ve used them so cleverly to create different worlds – from Kenya to the high school, and even Mrs Heron’s house. It’s the best use of screens I’ve seen in theatre.”
With the run ending on 8 June, Zoë urges audiences not to miss out: “If you want to have an absolute blast in the theatre and just have a lot of fun, then Mean Girls is the place to be. The audience’s reactions are amazing – they always have a great time. At a time when the world can feel quite dark, coming to see Mean Girls offers two hours of pure joy – you’ll definitely laugh and laugh.”
