Drunk Girls Cry Here by Eva Regan at The Hope Theatre 12 – 16 May 2026

‘It’s raw. It’s messy. It’s hilarious and witty.’ ★★★★ ½

The safe haven of the women’s bathroom on a night out in London soon becomes a place of life changing events in the beautiful chaos of ‘Drunk Girls Cry Here’. 

Opening as Flick (Eva Regan), Saph (Emily Puttick) and Liv (Áine O’Neill Mason) are out clubbing to celebrate Saph’s birthday, they find themselves drunk in the bathroom, reflecting on the patriarchy while snorting cocaine. The ‘Free Palestine’ badge on each of their bags is hard to miss, but it’s a feminist message that the play has chosen to be at its core. What starts as an ode to their friendship gets messy and messier as the night takes a stressful turn of events, full of secrets. Liv is pregnant. Saph is leaving to New York. And Flick has just been sexually assaulted. But she can’t tell anyone yet, or hasn’t realised it’s actually happened. 

On a simple set revolving around the single toilet cubicle, while the music, constant throughout the show, blasts out hits from ABBA to Mr. Brightside, the ensemble’s incredible chemistry works its magic and keeps the audience on their toes until the very end. 

Blair McAlpine’s directing is flawless, a perfect addition to Regan’s fascinating, unique writing. The comedy never misses a beat and the visceral reactions, from gasp to laughter, and sometimes (in my case) even a little cry – only shows how invested and captivated the whole audience is. Even the choreography, the dance floor and karaoke moments are captivating to watch, making each transition greatly enjoyable and dynamic. With the help of McAlpine’s exquisite creativity, the performances are remarkable. Both subtle and unpredictable, forming a mesmerising, vibrant and authentic magnetism within the group of friends, as the audience inevitably ends up deeply caring for each one of them (or at least I did).

Regan’s Flick is delightfully portrayed, with chaos, humour and tenderness at the same time. Puttick’s Saph is on the contrary, much more grounded and responsible. She plays out impeccably her interior dilemma: how can she tell her best-friends she’s leaving half way across the world, when she’s not even sure of the decision herself? O’Neill Mason as Liv is absolutely stunning. We can hear each of her thoughts and it is gut-wrenching to see the actual fear on her face as she stares at the positive pregnancy test and the life and comfort she’s always known suddenly vanishes. Jacob Hutchings as Archie (Saph’s partner) is simply brilliant. As he learns Liv is pregnant with his friend Jack (played excellently with both delicate empathy and light-hearted humour by Jordan Peedell), Hutchings goes through every single emotion possible, in one of the funniest moments of this show. Finally, as Charlie, Kieran Robson gives a finely-tuned portrayal of a charming young man hiding something much darker. 

Dealing at its core with sensible societal issues through the eyes of a group of friends, ‘Drunk Girls Cry Here’ is nothing but brutally real. It’s raw. It’s messy. It’s hilarious and witty. Overall, it’s definitely a must-see. 

Photography: Lizzie Sneller

Drunk Girls Cry Here by Eva Regan at The Hope Theatre 12 – 16 May 2026, directed by Blair McAlpine

BOX OFFICE https://www.thehopetheatre.com/drunkgirlscryhere

CAST

Eva Regan

Jacob Hutchings

Áine O’Neill Mason

Jordan Peedell

Emily Puttick

Kieran Robson