Sistren (Griffin) ★★★★★

Written by Iolanthe. Griffin Theatre Company present a Green Door Theatre Company production in association with Belvoir St Theatre. 9 Apr – 3 May 2026.

This is TikTok theatre. Shockingly, I don’t mean that as a veiled insult. Sistren is frenetic, original and addictively entertaining. You barely have time to breathe between laughs before the tone has shifted and we’re onto another morsel of short-burst storytelling, all building to a big finale.

South London high schoolers Isla (Iolanthe) and Violet (Janet Anderson) are in trouble again. Isla couldn’t control her mouth and they’ve landed a suspension which is causing extra problems for Violet. As the two motor-mouth teens discuss their predicament, the contours of their tight friendship get examined, along with a healthy dose of intersectional politics. Are this Black British girl and her White Trans friend each other’s greatest ally, or each other’s biggest liability?

Sistren‘s first run in 2025 sold out quickly and it’s clear why. There is an irrepressible energy to Iolanthe’s writing that feels instantly fresh and vibrant. Sistren is an assault on your senses: from the thumping pre-show soundtrack, to Anderson’s camp opening lip-sync, to the motor-mouth banter that speed-races through pop-culture references you’ll need to be on point to catch, or risk feeling one generation behind.

Iolanthe proves she’s a gifted translator of cultural forms, turning the intimate stage into a vibrant blend of comedy and drama told through modern media tropes. Her characters glide between fantasy, reality and gleeful fourth-wall breaks. The outrageous pace will lose some older audiences who’ve not succumbed to the speedy rhythms of modern social media, where every second must be optimised for entertainment lest your mind start to wander.

Using her London childhood as a foundation, Iolanthe gives Sistren the authenticity it needs to tackle topics other playwrights might shy away from. Isla and Violet’s brash, young conversations have no space for pointless niceties as they pull apart the experiences of both Black women and Trans youth with unapologetic honesty. These characters aren’t ciphers here to preach — they’re people with real-world experiences worth listening to.

Her writing fits into the new wave of confident, international Black playwriting voices — Jasmine Lee-Jones, Ryan Calais Cameron, Aleshea Harris, James Ijames and Jeremy O. Harris — whose influence can be felt throughout. As a debut play, its dynamism clearly outweighs any dramaturgical quibbles.

As writer and performer this could easily be “The Iolanthe Show,” but Janet Anderson stakes her claim to an equal share of the stage time, story and audience’s attention. After seeing Anderson in heavy dramatic works like Collapsible and Overflow, it’s refreshing to see her tackle comedy with luscious degrees of camp and excess — her comic timing is as good as her dramatic heft.

Director Ian Michael leans into the script’s maximalism with dramatic lighting cues (Kelsey Lee on lights), brash sound design (Daniel Herten on audio), multimedia captions (TK Abioye on video) and a furry pink set that puts Barbarella‘s spaceship to shame (Emma White on sets).

For the second time this year, we’ve seen an Australian production that demands to be seen overseas. Sistren would find a natural home in a London theatre like The Bush, Southwark Playhouse or even The Royal Court. It’s that combustible synthesis of young talents — cheers to NIDA — that creates something undeniable. If you missed it last year, like I did, don’t hesitate. If you saw it, you’ll want to see it again.