Sleepover follows three girls at (you guessed it) their last sleepover before leaving for university. Through a comical game about sex paired with catchy songs, the audience is immersed in the minds of the three teenagers.

The musical is set in Nina’s (Laura Chan) bedroom with a teddy bear scattered makeshift tent placed centre-stage. Partnered with fluorescent pink light, it was an excellent mirroring of Nina’s naïve and youthful nature.

Each question actuated into a song, which carried the narrative of the musical. The songs were humorous and performed with bouts of energy allowing the dynamic between the three characters to shine through.

Immediately, Chan excelled in diversifying the musical and its characters in various forms; differing sexualities, genders and religions were all showcased. Though rarely referenced, cultural heritage was beautifully represented with an infusion of Calypso music paying homage to Anita’s (Regina Agard-Brathwaite) Bajan roots, and continual shifts in dialects during conversations.

There was a hyper-fixation on making crude jokes pertaining to religion

However, the actual substance of the dialogue remained largely lacklustre due to an over-use of satire. There was a persistent hyper-fixation of making crude jokes pertaining to religion, which rendered them quite stilted at times. Due to this, Michelle Zhang’s comedic execution, while applaudable, was restricted. Attempts to reference topical issues such as the fetishisation of mixed babies and internalised/systemic racism were explored half-heartedly, with their importance often being reduced to sweeping statements in the songs.

There seemed to be a reluctance to shift to a serious narrative tone, which was a particular issue when discourse concerning sexual assault arose. The discussion felt hurried, and it was marred by repetitive jokes, resulting in a downplay of the subject in its entirety. Despite this, the cast was still able to capture the sensitivity of the topic. Chan’s performance was a highlight; her display of fragility whilst maintaining vocal control was commendable.

The uniquely diverse cast is undoubtedly one of the prime focal points giving this musical that special edge. With this, it had the capacity to venture away from typicality and instead illustrate a celebration of non-western traditions. Unfortunately, Sleepover didn’t fully grapple with this opportunity and settled on mentioning culture on a brief, superficial level. Nonetheless, it succeeded in portraying the chaotically, whacky nature of a sleepover. In a society that forces us to grow up too fast, it was heart-warming to see teens depicted in a more innocent and juvenile manner. It bought authenticity to the stage, and as an audience member it made me, and I’m sure many others, feel represented.