Brighton Year-Round 2026

Single White Female

JAS Theatricals, ATG Productions, and Gavin Kalin Productions and JASS Productions

Genre: Adaptation, Contemporary, Drama, Mainstream Theatre, New Writing, Theatre

Venue: Theatre Royal Brighton

Festival: Brighton Year-Round

Low Down

Review

Shoulder pads have a lot to answer for. But whose fault was it? They inspired a reaction: a string of subliminally misogynist movies about dangerous single woman and “unfit” mothers from Fatal Attraction in 1987 to this work five years later. The nineties are back and Rebecca Reid’s Single White Female based on the 1992 Columbia film, itself taken from John Lutz’s novel SWF Seeks Same arrives at Theatre Royal Brighton directed by Gordon Greenberg till January 17. It’s literally the first week of a two-hour-fifteen show touring 21 venues.

Though the title, iconic as it is, is as dodgy as the misogyny, Reid seeks a makeover. Journalist turned novelist and TV screenwriter this is her first work for the theatre. Anglicising the storyline she adds a new variant to really make it her own play. The dog in the original, symbol of trust has morphed into a vulnerable 15-year-old daughter. Who furnishes a twist or five till the end. To this extent Reid has significantly improved on the original’s premiss and her new twists are potentially superb. Not only that, but the potential for misdirecting and applying social media is now huge, and Reid revels in this, adding one plot-twist literally in the news last week. There’s references to body-weight drugs and up-to-date references fitted seamlessly. Impressive.

So if you think you know the film, this is very different. Not everything works in a British setting. A little like the Netflix Runaway, too many dangerous items commonplace in the States, pop out. Someone pointed out this genre – coercive control – neatly follows some Corrie and other TV soap plotlines of late.

There’s a format to all this naturally. Attach film adaptation to a few TV stars. Kym Marsh as Hedy the woman who answers cash-strapped suddenly-single mother Allie (Lisa Faulkner). I didn’t see Marsh in the theatrical Fatal Attraction but she’s obvious casting here. Hedy’s the northern flatmate “from all over” who from the start both tries controlling Ali’s responses and life; and looks on at her daughter. Reid has attached an almost redemptive backstory for Hedy’s behaviour, which is exhibited without disguise from the start, something Marsh relishes with the kick of a sardonic smile. The psychology doesn’t wholly convince and one reveal sounds farfetched, but that in part is what Reid has to work with. Marsh enjoys the laid-back calculating sociopath who at one moment really does break down into genuine emotion when alone. Faulkner with her straight role sashays between anxiety and consolatory, almost compensating warmth.

As gay BF work colleague Graham, whose proximity is one reason Ali moves, Andro brings some genuine if stereotypical American crossover, a slice from the original. Andro brings a New York vibe into the room (he is British by the way!). Graham elicits hostility from Sam (Jonny McGarrity) as well as Marsh’s Hedy. McGarrity’s Sam is all urbane swagger, someone whose backstory is flashed up to show heedless alcoholism: with a carapace of reform (with a 21-year-old pregnant girlfriend met in rehab) only sin-deep. Along with a filament of love for his daughter and a pang, or is it prickle of conscience? Amy Snudden’s Bella is wholly believable as a teenage girl bullied at an expensive school she can’t compete at; then suddenly given new tools to sculpt her own life with. Do I believe a final twist? Excellent idea, but.

If you know the film, you’ll recognise key points, though not others. The theme – that someone can have been planning to move in on you for years – is as far as I’ll go.

Morgan Large’s kitchen-diner and island set with sofa suggests a swish newbuild, jerry-built in Elephant & Castle. Max Pappenheim, a sovereign sound designer has been somehow persuaded to make shlock piping and lift defects thunk like a derelict spaceship with the last survivors hiding from a flesh-eating monster. Good moments with the electrics though. Jason Taylor’s magnificent lighting – a variant on Miriam Buether’s 2.22 now seemingly a go-to gesture for thriller/horror – is inlaid with three neon rectangular strips and variants. As lighting it’s remarkable, but again it’s so overdone it’s like a fairground in search of serious entertainment. And costumes where one character dons another’s figure-hugging clothes when they’re different sizes could have been, well a-dressed.

As for this production, this is its first week and it’ll pick up. Like a roof corner though, it needs re-pointing. No fault of the actors that their set environment can look new-shoddy, not always because it’s meant to. Mostly direction needs tightening. So would Ali recognise a disguised Hedy instantly from a back-view? The climax evinces laughter from the audience, as Act Two turns frantic, even farcical. Neither moment need happen and aren’t the script’s fault. Reid’s experience is screenwriting and fine direction irons out any bumps theatre exposes. Reid’s clearly a talented adapter and will learn, but shouldn’t have had to like this.

There’s potential – despite moments that don’t cross the pond, and psycho-iffy innovations – for this to be a taut-paced thriller with higher stakes than the original. As it stands, this isn’t yet quite ready but there’s months ahead to make it work. Dry January can bring classic thrillers to Theatre Royal; but sometimes the classic theatre and audience are given an unripe production, as happened a year ago.  Listen to us, and act.

Published January 14, 2026 by Simon Jenner