Strange Young Girls-Camden Fringe.

Strange Young Girls, the title is taken from the Mamas and Pappas song of the same name, is inspired by the real-life friendship between Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas and Sue Lyon, star of Stanley Kubrick’s Lolita. Abby Greenhalgh’s script imagines a meeting between the duo just as Sue Lyons (Posy Portwood) returns from filming in London.

Set in Michelle’s (Grace Graham) bedroom it takes place in the early 1960s. Sue arrives and there is a very affectionate meeting, but the experience has changed her, she has grown up and has had to learn a lot during her time away. Michelle (Grace Graham) on the other hand is still a flighty young teenager on the brink of womanhood and excited by the life of glamour promised by a modelling career and her friend Tamar in Los Angeles.

As they discuss their experiences it soon becomes apparent that they are headed in different directions. Michelle is upset that Sue did not respond to any of her letters. As Michelle says, ‘We used to know everything about each other’. They reflect on their past; family members and the responsibility they feel towards them. Sue Lyon later revealed that her destruction as a person dated from that film.

Sadly, when the actors are seated at the front of the stage, both perfomers were hidden from the audience at the back due to the shallow raking of seats. However, both performers give strong performances with Posy’s constrained adult approach as Sue contrasted with Grace’s excitable take on Michelle.

Strange Young Girls explores universal themes of love, abuse and friendship.

4 stars

Reviewed by Nina Gardner

Photo Credits

Showing at The Camden People’s Theatre for just 2 nights 5th & 6th August 2025

Further information and tickets are available from the link below

https://cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/Strange-Young-Girls

Cast

Michelle Grace Graham

Sue Posy Portwood

Creatives

Abby Greenhaigh Writer, Co-Director and Producer