When the London run of Cruel Intentions finished I was disappointed that I wouldn’t have a chance to return but when the tour was announced I was thrilled that not only would I get my chance again but that others from across the country would as well.

The musical is based on the 1999 film of the same name which since its release has become somewhat of a cult classic. The musical harnesses the nostalgia factor along with a 90’s jukebox score which had the 90’s child in me in heaven throughout. The show tells of Kathryn and her step brother Sebastian who agree a wager about Annette, a new girl in town who has written an article declaring that she will save herself until marriage. If Sebastian seduces her then Kathryn agrees to sleep with him, but if he fails then she gets his car. At the same time Kathryn enlists his help in trying to ruin Cecile, a new freshman who Kathryn’s boyfriend left her for. Many of the main characters in the show are distinctly unlikeable, from Kathryn who is a master manipulator through to Cecile who is so naïve it is almost painful but despite the characters being unlikeable the show is far from it and simply embraces the teenage angst and darkness.

The show remains very firmly set in the 90’s and as a result there are themes that you would struggle to get away with in a current show, a the trigger warning states outside ‘As Cruel Intentions is set in 1999 some of the language reflects that time’ however how racism is dealt with within the show still sits uncomfortably with only a throwaway line to call it out.

The 90’s is where the score draws all of its influences. Of course Bittersweet Symphony, which featured in the original film, is in the show but so are a ton of other huge 90’s hits, with everything from Wanna Be through to Torn and from No Scrubs to Just A Girl. The songs may be shoehorned in but to be frank I didn’t care and neither did the cast. The crowd erupted as many of the first familiar refrains rang out and many of the lyric changes had me in stiches. The show is one that does not take itself too seriously and to have Cecile burst into Ace of Base’s ‘The Sign’ when she describes her first encounter with Sebastian or Blaine and Greig singing Britney Spear’s ‘Sometimes’ at the beginning of a make out session ensures that the audience knows that its ok to laugh with them in this show and the audience embrace this attitude.

The music is clearly the main draw of this show however and being a fan of 90’s music this suited me just fine however it did mean that character developments and relationship building took a back seat and by the climax of the show I still struggled to feel anything for any of the characters on stage. I also struggled to believe that both Kathryn and Sebastian were still at school due to the sexual maturity they displayed but this problem rang true with the source material also.

Abbie Budden continued as Annette Hargrove and, as she was in London, is brilliant in the role. She ensures that Annette avoids being seen as simply virginal and one dimension but packs her full of personality and charisma, making it easy to see how Sebastian has fallen for her. Taking on the role of Ceclie is Lucy Carter whose comedic ability really helped cement the comedy in the show and her rendition of ‘The Sign’ was a brilliant example of this. Will Callen as Sebastian oozed charisma and even after hearing how Sebastian spoke about his conquests it was easy to understand from Callen’s portrayal how he had women falling at his feet.

Vocally the cast are tasked with singing a huge range of pop songs, there were moments where it felt as if they weren’t always in the best key for the performer but despite this the energy and attack that they all brought to each number meant that this was easy to overlook.

Cruel Intentions is a fun show, especially if you are looking for a nostalgia boost with a camp, upbeat 90’s score that can’t help but win you over.

Cruel Intentions is on at New Wimbledon Theatre until Saturday 1st March and it then continues its tour. You can find out more and book tickets here.

If you like this review you might also like my review of Mean Girls, Cabaret and Back to the Future.