In March 2000 I was working part-time at Milton Keynes theatre and I had three children under four. I went to see ‘Boogie Nights’ at MK theatre and thought maybe I could write a play like that except for women and better. I hadn’t written a play before! Maybe I was mad! I spent Saturday mornings writing in the kitchen for a few months and then I invited some of my friends to come and read it - in my kitchen.

The show was called Girls Night and it was about five women like us – Oh yeah and one of them is an Angel – cause she fell off the back of a moped when she was 17 and didn’t want to leave.
The characters have been friends since school and now in their thirties meet up for a Karaoke night out – fun, fights and friendship follows whilst they belt out classics like ‘It’s Raining Men’ and ‘Dancing Queen’ My friends liked it and even recognised themselves in some bits. Oops!
Most of it was made up – honest.

We put it on at Madcap theatre in September 2000 for four nights. Mum did the costumes, friends painted a set and we decorated everywhere pink! Flyers were delivered to every place of work in the city where women might possibly be – mostly whilst pushing a double buggy with my eldest trailing beside me. We sold every ticket and the audience said they loved it- someone said “It made
me laugh so hard my Tampax fell out!” – Could that person please identify themselves?

Then I decided – because clearly I was mad that we would hire Milton Keynes
theatre for one big night! I set of the double buggy again and all the tickets for May 1 st 2001 sold. We even made a bit of profit so I bought 1,400 pink glow sticks and gave them to the audience. It was an unforgettable, amazing night! The performers, the technicians, the back stage helpers and the audience were all incredible!

Were you there? Did you attend the performances at Madcap or Milton Keynes Theatre? Did your Mum? Your Grandma? Your friend or work colleague? And that could well have been it.
But it wasn’t. I found my own personal angel in the form of Sir Peter Thompson and he agreed to financially back a national tour of Girls Night. In 2003 just three years after it’s first performance at Madcap it toured the UK for the first time professionally. Since then Girls Night has had hundreds of cast members and has been seen by thousands of people all over the world. It’s toured the UK, Ireland, South Korea, New Zealand, Canada, and Germany . It went to the States in 2007 and opened off Broadway in 2008. ‘Girls Night the Musical’ as they call it in the USA is still running continuously there.

In the UK famous names like Gillian Taylforth (Eastenders) and Shobna Gulati (Coronation Street) have starred in the show. What a journey ‘Girls Night’ has had!

 

Now! Exactly twenty- five years later we’ve got some exciting news! We’re all a bit older but not any wiser. We’re still friends and we definitely like to have fun so….
Featuring the original Milton Keynes cast. It’s time to have a reunion. Announcing ‘Girls Night the Reunion’ a brand new play following the same characters who are now in their fifties.. Featuring Classics ‘Man I feel like a woman’ ‘I Will Survive’, ‘Dancing Queen’ and many more. It will be performed at Stantonbury theatre 20th, 21 st and 22nd of March 2025 .

 

A proper Reunion and we couldn’t be more excited.

 

Are you coming?

 

Bring your friends, work colleagues and family for another unforgettable night.

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