Queen teen puckers up

PUCKER up your pout and hold onto your gym knickers because director Ryan McBryde is bringing the internationally popular adventures of a teenage heroine to West Yorkshire Playhouse.

The hormone-driven escapades of teenager Georgia Nicolson – who starred in Leeds-born writer Louise Rennison’s bestselling novels – will be brought to life in the world premiere of Angus, Thongs and Even More Snogging.

Ryan said he had done unprecedented research into the mind of teenage girls to ensure he lives up to fans’ expectations.

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He said: “I watched loads of teen films and read teenage magazines to channel my inner teenage girl into the play.

“A teenage girl’s mind is fascinating – the insecurities that boys have, girls also have in their own way, and it amazed me that girls are thinking about snogging all the time as well!

“I wish I’d read this book when I was a teenager, I think every teenage boy should be made to read the books or see the play, it’s like the adolescent bible.”

Writer Rennison and writer Mark Catley took different parts from the ten novels for the stage adaptation, which will give audiences total access into the confusing world of 15-year-old Georgia.

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The starry-eyed romantic and mood-swinging madam is on a quest to find the right boyfriend while shrugging off her parents annoying questions, taking care of her beloved wildcat Angus and tolerating her younger sister.

Ryan said: “The show is about a teenage girl’s dream of true love.

“It’s a universal topic and everyone has been a teenager before so the show is very quickly accessible.

“It’s going to ring true with a lot of people because at the end of the day Georgia realises you should be with the person that makes you laugh.”

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The cast includes Margaret Cabourn-Smith – who has appeared in BBC comedy show Miranda – and newcomer Naomi Petersen, who will tackle the lead role of Georgia.

Ryan added: “We have a fantastic cast, Louise was part of the casting process and she was very clear on the creative representations of how she imagined their characters.

“First and foremost we want readers of the books to enjoy it, but it is also a show for any family who has a teenager and an education for teenage boys.

“It is interesting because the books have been out for ten years so a lot of the people who read the books when they first came out won’t be teenagers any more and I hope they will come along and reminisce with the girls about their teenage years.”

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Angus, Thongs and Even More Snogging hurtles onto West Yorkshire Playhouse’s Quarry stage from February 11 to March 3. Tickets are £17-£27. Book online at www.wyp.org.uk or call West Yorkshire Playhouse box office on 0113 213 7700.

Georgina Watson

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