The Virgins at Soho Theatre: A Raw Teenage Sex Night Drama
Sexual experience becomes a powerful currency in Miriam Battye's compelling play The Virgins, currently captivating audiences at London's Soho Theatre. This award-winning production, which secured the Women's prize for playwriting in 2020, plunges viewers directly into the turbulent world of teenage sexuality with unflinching honesty and dramatic intensity.
A Tornado of Teenage Awkwardness and Pretence
Directed with precision by Jaz Woodcock-Stewart, The Virgins unfolds during a single Friday night where a group of teenagers have determined this will be the evening their sexual lives finally commence. The atmosphere crackles with a potent mixture of anticipation, anxiety, and performative confidence that feels painfully authentic to anyone who has navigated similar adolescent territory.
The narrative centres on best friends and virgins Chloe, portrayed with nuanced perfection by Anushka Chakravarti, and Jess, played by Ella Bruccoleri. They are preparing for their inaugural "out out" night, joined by the gossip-obsessed Phoebe, whose hysterical reactions to any mention of physical contact provide both comic relief and poignant commentary. Molly Hewitt-Richards delivers a standout performance as Phoebe, capturing the character's palpable panic with remarkable authenticity.
Sexual Currency and Social Dynamics
As the evening progresses, the arrival of Anya from the year above, played by Zoë Armer, introduces a hierarchical dynamic where sexual experience functions as valuable social capital. Anya positions herself as the knowledgeable guide, dispensing advice with an air of authority that the younger girls desperately seek to emulate.
Meanwhile, Chloe's brother Joel, portrayed by Ragevan Vasan, and his "really, really fit" friend Mel, played by Alec Boaden, occupy the adjacent room, engrossed in video games while representing both objects of desire and sources of anxiety. Battye's script masterfully captures how each group discusses the other as if observing exotic creatures, with the girls gathering in doorways to gawk at the boys while the boys navigate their own insecurities.
Uncomfortable Authenticity and Underlying Tension
The production unfolds with the unsettling rhythm of a horror film, employing short, sharp bursts of action punctuated by dramatic darkness and orchestral music. When the lights return, each moment feels precariously balanced on a cliff-edge, with unspoken desires and unacknowledged fears simmering beneath surface conversations.
Throughout the performance, the threat of male presence remains a constant undercurrent. The girls establish coded signals to alert each other to uncomfortable situations, while Phoebe's verbal paralysis when boys enter the room speaks volumes about the complex power dynamics at play. Yet despite these anxieties, genuine desire bubbles persistently beneath their awkward interactions.
Award-Winning Writing and Powerful Performances
Battye's writing shines in its ability to craft scenes that feel devastatingly authentic, capturing the awkward choreography of teenage social navigation with painful accuracy. Chakravarti's portrayal of Chloe particularly stands out as she fabricates stories and projects artificial confidence in her desperate bid to impress Anya, often at the expense of her genuine friendships.
The ensemble cast delivers uniformly strong performances, creating a cohesive world where every character's vulnerability and pretence feel simultaneously specific and universally recognizable. For anyone who has survived similar nights of adolescent experimentation, The Virgins lands with uncomfortable proximity to personal memory.
This powerful production continues its run at Soho Theatre until 7th March, offering London audiences a rare opportunity to experience one of contemporary theatre's most honest explorations of teenage sexuality and social currency.
