What I liked
There is much to be praised here, but I can’t bring myself to begin anywhere else other than with the cast. Real slam-dunk performances all around, each actor able to deftly navigate the barrage of changes that come with teenage years and subsequent complicated feelings. From tweenhood to adulthood, the actors are consistently entertaining, locked in, and, most importantly, believable.
The dialogue is also consistently a highlight — much like the performances, its primary strength lies in how real it feels. It perfectly captures how difficult it is to articulate one’s thoughts at those ages. You know you have something important to say, but your thoughts are so confused and jumbled and you’ve so little life experience that the act of prying a cohesive sentence from that mess becomes its own struggle, beyond the ways we are already prone to miscommunicating with each other.
Also for a Fringe show, the set design is very elaborate. I don’t really have anything more to add other than it looks good but the creative team must consist exclusively of insane people.
What I didn't like
okay that red ribbon chandelier is just showing off at this point
I like to put some stupid joke in this section instead of criticism, but I do want to express that I’d be interested in picking the brain of the playwright. Now that I’ve had time to reflect, I have some structural questions I’m curious to know the intentions behind. To me, it feels like this show’s ideal length is a half hour shorter or longer, depending on what said intentions are.
My overall impression
Endlessly insightful and endearing, Girl Blood is bursting at the seams for all the heart it contains. With the conceit of taking place entirely in bathrooms, Girl Blood has much to say about the ways people (especially girls) are trained to view themselves, their bodies, and what is to be done if you don’t conform to society’s expectations. Equal parts entertaining and thought-provoking, Girl Blood (yes, I’m going to dust off a cliche but this time it’s clever because it’s a central component of the play) holds a mirror to the audience encouraging the audience to have empathy and understanding for the characters onstage, but for themselves as well.
