Hot Chicks at Sherman Theatre Cardiff Review

DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW

Reviewed by Kathy Sanderson

Hot Chicks at the Sherman Theatre – A Powerful, Harrowing, and Unforgettable Watch. Written by Rebecca Jade Hammond | Directed by Hannah Noone

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Hot Chicks. My husband was half-hoping for something a little risqué based on the title, but I knew it wasn’t that kind of show. What we got was something far more gripping, raw, and painfully real—a story that will sit with me for a long time.

From the moment we entered the theatre, we knew this wasn’t going to be a typical play. The 360-degree staging pulled us into the heart of the story, surrounding us with the action and making us feel like we were right there in the middle of it all.

The Story

At the centre of the play were Ruby (Londiwe Mthembu) and Kyla (Izzi McCormack John), two teenage girls who spent all their time in Cheney’s (Richard Ellis) chicken shop, set in Penlan, Swansea —scrolling, filming, dreaming of TikTok fame. Their lives at home were fractured. Ruby’s mum had left, her dad was an addict. Kyla was being raised by her nan, her mum gone too. Their big dream? To reach 100,000 followers on TikTok and escape to Vegas, where they imagined a glamorous life of freebies and fame.

Cheney, the owner of the chicken shop, was a warm and familiar presence. He wasn’t some shadowy figure with ulterior motives—he was like an uncle to the girls, offering them a safe place to be together after school. He saw them, cared for them, and tried to guide them in his own way, gently warning them that chasing internet fame wouldn’t bring the happiness they thought it would. But like so many adults, he didn’t see the real danger until it was too late.

Then Sadie (Rachel Redford) walked in. Confident, wealthy, effortlessly cool—everything Kyla and Ruby wanted to be. At first, she seemed friendly, even generous, handing over a Tiffany bracelet and promising them designer clothes she no longer needed. But it was all part of the plan. Slowly, subtly, she groomed them, offering opportunities that seemed too good to be true. And before they realised what was happening, they were caught in something far bigger and darker than they ever imagined.

A Chilling Reality

What made Hot Chicks so devastating was how easily it all happened. The girls weren’t naïve or reckless—they were just two teenagers desperate for a better life. The play exposed the stark reality of how predators operate, how they gain trust, how they exploit vulnerability. It showed the heart breaking truth of latchkey kids—left to their own devices, searching for belonging, while the adults around them are too busy, too distracted, or too overwhelmed to see what’s happening.

And Cheney? He was a tragic figure—not because he failed them, but because, like so many well-meaning adults, he simply didn’t realise what was happening until it was far too late.

Outstanding Performances

Londiwe Mthembu (Ruby) and Izzi McCormack John (Kyla) felt utterly real, full of energy and innocence, with moments of heart breaking realisation as their dream shattered around them.

Rachel Redford (Sadie) was chilling—warm and inviting one moment, cold and controlling the next.

Richard Ellis (Cheney) was the voice of reason, a well-meaning surrogate father figure who, like so many, saw the truth too late.

Final Thoughts

This was more than just a play; it was a brutal, honest, and necessary look at the world so many young people navigate today. A world where social media dangles the illusion of escape, where predators lurk behind promises of a better life, and where children can slip through the cracks before anyone even realises they’re falling.

It was uncomfortable. It was gut-wrenching. And it was brilliant.

Rating: 5/5. A must-see.

Tickets cost from £16

Hot Chicks is on at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff from 21st March – 5th April. For more information or to book tickets visit www.shermantheatre.co.uk or call the box office on 02920 646 900.

Hot Chicks will also be in Swansea at the Swansea Grand Theatre from 16-25 April 2025. For more information or to book tickets visit www.swanseagrand.co.uk/HotChicks or call the box office on 01792 475715.

Sherman Theatre, Senghennydd Rd, Cardiff CF24 4YE