Lisa Faulkner and Kym Marsh in Single White Female (credit Chris Bishop)
Single White Female. The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham.
The 1992 film Single White Female was a huge hit. Starring Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh it told the story of a single successful woman who places an ad for a flatmate (“SWF seeks similar”) after the breakdown of her relationship. She soon finds out her new lodger is more than a bit psycho.
This is a stage production bearing the same title and what looks like the same premise. First things first – this is NOT the same story. Yes the initial premise is the same and the characters names are the same but there the similarities end (aside from one ICONIC scene from the film).
In this version we have Allie (played by Lisa Faulkner) who is divorced but has a fifteen year old daughter (played perfectly by Amy Snudden) and due to financial difficulties has to take in a lodger. In steps Hedy (played by Kym Marsh) who answers her online ad (as opposed to the small ad of the 1992 film). The play has been fully updated to modern times with social media playing a big part. The setting has also moved from the USA to the UK (both Faulkner and Marsh use their own accents) apart from Allie’s neighbour Graham (played by Andro) who randomly has an American accent.
The piece doesn’t quite work for me. I should, but it doesn’t.
The set, although great, is the apartment so all the action takes place there which is quite limiting.
The script is very conversational and feels very “TV” rather than stage.
The action doesn’t get going until near the end. It feels like it needs more build. Marsh’s character is quite laid back until half way through act two when she suddenly becomes unhinged but it felt like “we’d better make this happen quick before it finishes”. It wasn’t organic. It also felt like it needed more suspense, and the “reveal” at the end was very weak.
Having said that, there were some great moments, some fun moments, and the audience were in anticipation throughout. It just didn’t quite deliver.
Three stars. A new take on a 90’s classic.
