A dynamic, feminist, and pop culture-filled performance
All the convincing I needed to see this piece was found by reading: ‘She was a 17-year-old girl, the only God she believed in was Taylor Swift’. If that hasn’t got you, read on, and perhaps I’ll win you over, writes Bella Christy.
Written by Rosie Day, directed by Georgie Staight, and performed by Charithra Chandran (Bridgeton), Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon is fuelled by a trio of women – A story for women, about women (well, a girl, to be specific), told by women—I already love it.
This is a ‘one girl show’ that diverts from the regular presentation of young women as ‘daughter’,’sister’, or ‘girlfriend’. In this piece, a young girl takes us on a journey through grief and growth after the death of her older sister. We watch her navigate her relationships, mental health, and family dynamics with a raw and realistic sense of imperfection.
Walking into the auditorium, playing were artists such as Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, setting the scene for the dynamic, feminist, and pop culture-filled performance. Charithra was brilliant: captivating and never dull; she held the audience’s attention with ease for 80 minutes straight.
The play, despite its difficult themes, starts off light and bright. A humorous tone is set as the young girl pokes fun at the situations surrounding her sister’s death. As the piece evolves, there is a constant shifting between lightness and tragedy. I find myself laughing and gasping in unison as the girl ponders, ‘It must be cost-effective to go from two to one’.
Charithra delivered emotional moments with heart and resolve. The exploration of parental grief was particularly moving, but what truly resonated with me was the speech about her sister’s luminosity, how she wanted to be just like her. As an older sister, I connected with this type of love, and the mere idea of losing my younger sister brought tears to my eyes.
The play is socially conscious, ‘woke’, if you will. It deconstructs the phrase ‘boys will boys’ and gives advice such as ‘No is a complete sentence’. As a teenager, I think this would have really hit home for me. Now, as a confident adult, the messages in the play reaffirm and align with existing beliefs rather than open my eyes, but I recognise its potential to profoundly impact younger audiences. I think my 16-year-old self would have found this play pretty groundbreaking.
Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon is a powerful journey through a difficult youth, speckled with loss and abuse. Both light and sombre, Rosie, Georgie, and Charithra deliver a wonderful piece of theatre. I encourage any young girl, anyone really, to go and experience it.
Garrick Theatre, 2 Charing Cross Rd, London, WC2H 0HH Dates: Sunday 24 March, Sunday 7 April, Sunday 14 April, Sunday 21 April, Sunday 28 April. Times: 2.30 & 6pm. Admission: £25 – £60.
Booking: https://ticketing.nimaxtheatres.com/tickets/ – 0330 333 4811
