What happens when international outrage fades, but the suffering continues? Theresa Ikoko’s Girls, directed by Ewa Dina at the Young Vic, confronts the uncomfortable gap between public displays of solidarity and the realities endured by those at the centre of a tragedy. It is an often devastating, but surprisingly funny, exploration of friendship, faith and survival.
Set in Nigeria in 2014, the year Boko Haram abducted hundreds of schoolgirls in Chibok, the play follows three teenage friends, Tisana (Hannah Akhalu), Haleema (Tara Tijani) and Ruhab (Sewa Zamba), after they are captured by Islamist militants. As their captivity continues, each approaches survival differently, and their contrasting beliefs and decisions place increasing strain on their friendship.
The three performers effortlessly shift between emotional turmoil, anger, tenderness and the simple joy of being teenage girls. Their characters are wonderfully distinct, with moments of conflict and regrettable cruelty balanced by genuine affection and solidarity. Even in the most horrific circumstances, their humanity remains firmly intact.
Tara Tijani is particularly impressive, delivering sharp comic moments that repeatedly pierce the tragedy. Whether confronting the absurdity of their circumstances or discussing sex, television and popular culture, the humour never feels misplaced. Instead, it reminds us of the ordinary lives these teenage girls should have been enjoying, making their situation all the more painful to witness.
Dina’s direction is taut and assured. An energetic, pop-infused opening establishes the girls’ personalities, while brisk scene transitions maintain momentum and build tension. féz’s composition gives the piece an infectious, pulsing energy, while Elliott Griggs’ lighting and Munotida Chinyanga’s sound design are particularly effective in bringing explosions and moments of terrifying uncertainty vividly to life. Sophie Bramley’s video design effectively recreates key news events, grounding the drama in its real-world context.
Girls delivers a scathing critique of Western indifference and performative solidarity. The play invokes the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, famously championed by Michelle Obama, alongside the devastating suggestion that Western celebrities could walk a red carpet through the blood of Nigerian girls without anything meaningfully changing. It is a deeply uncomfortable indictment of a world where international attention does not necessarily translate into action, and where the lives of these young women risk becoming indistinguishable statistics rather than individual tragedies.
There are moments, however, when Ikoko’s script revisits themes and experiences already firmly established without necessarily advancing the narrative. While the horrors endured by the girls must never be diminished, a tighter approach to these passages could have made an already affecting evening even more impactful.
Ultimately, Girls is a deeply human piece of theatre, elevated by exceptional performances and confident direction. Its ability to find humour, joy and friendship amid unimaginable suffering makes it immensely moving. Long after the hashtags have faded, it insists that we keep looking.
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