When toxic masculinity is cemented into everyday life, how do we heal?
Sophie Leonie’s first play is a rollercoaster ride through three decades with three best friends.
Millennium Girls follows the inseparable Chanel, Jessica, and Latisha on the brink of adulthood, navigating the chaotic highs and crushing lows of their late 90s and early 2000s girlhood.
The story escalates when the secrets they have been holding onto start being exposed, and they are forced to start choosing sides. Jessica, played by Sophie Leonie, quickly realises that she can survive but that saving herself is the only way.
The play channels the thrill, anxiety, and escapism promised to young revellers at the turn of the millennium. With a nostalgic soundtrack mixed with original beats, the party continues after the show with late-night DJ sets at ‘House Lates’ for some performances.
Millennium Girls is based on Sophie Leonie’s and her friend’s real-life experiences. Now, as a mother to a young boy, Leonie returns to her teenage past to write this new play, asking, ‘In a world where toxic masculinity is cemented into the fabric of everyday life, how do we heal from this? And how can we protect the next generation?
The play is based on Sophie Leonie’s and her friend’s real-life experiences. Now, as a mother to a young boy, Leonie returns to her teenage past to write this new play, asking, ‘In a world where toxic masculinity is cemented into the fabric of everyday life, how do we heal from this? And how can we protect the next generation?’
Sophie said: “There were many experiences that my peers and I faced that were never discussed or articulated, let alone represented on stage or screen. Even as politics and activism were frequent topics of conversation at home and with friends, important issues like consent, gender stereotypes or colourism were just not discussed and therefore – challenged – anywhere. As a result, we are a generation that entered adulthood and parenthood in this digital age, where so much has changed – and so much has not – forcing us to confront our own trauma. Millennium Girls digs into all of this while conveying the sheer joy of being young and having the world at your feet.”
Jade Lewis, Director, said: “I was drawn to this project because I haven’t heard the voices of those who were teenagers at the millennium on stage before, and it tapped into the language of the time and the people. I felt that the world Sophia has created is so relatable. An authentic London, UK, working class experience and the characters looked and spoke like me. The script gave me the feeling of nostalgia, remembering how the turning of the millennium felt.”
Alongside the play, Zoe Gibbons Productions, with two charity partners, will deliver workshops to develop community connections and career opportunities for young people. Nationwide organisation ‘Tender’ will engage with secondary school students, using drama-based exercises to explore the themes of the play, rehearse for real-life scenarios around consent, and building positive, healthy relationships.
Brixton House, London from 12 to 31 May 2025
Booking and full details: brixtonhouse.co.uk/shows/millenium-girls/
