Single white female is a stage production of the 1992 psychological erotic thriller of the same name. Although the film did not receive critical acclaim, it was a smash hit in the cinema and home rental market and became a cult classic. This production has been adapted for the stage by Rebecca Reid and directed by Gordon Greenberg. It stars Kym Marsh as Hedy and Lisa Faulkner as Allie. The cast also features Andro as Graham, Jonny McGarrity as Sam, and Amy Snudden as Bella.
The original Hollywood script is updated from its 90s backdrop to the present day, focusing on themes of bullying, trauma, obsession and toxic friendship. Significant attention is paid to the importance and often detrimental role of social media in today’s society, particularly for young adults.
Allie is a divorced mother with a teenage daughter, Bella, who decides to rent out her spare room to make ends meet. Although at first her new lodger, Hedy, seems perfect, it isn’t long before her mask of sanity begins to slip.
The stage is a static set modelled as a modern-day apartment. The minimalist set changes were made with the dipping of stage lights, flashing of surrounding lights and loud music. It was a touch over dramatic and often jarring, with the music having no relevance to the proceedings.
The storyline varies significantly from the film, in part because of the updated timeline but also due to a tilt in direction. This fresh path is necessary to avoid falling into the ‘new shoddy’ genre and, in general, works. The main protagonist (Allie) and antagonist (Hedy) remain constant but are older, to accommodate the introduction of 15-year-old Bella, who is integral to the modernised flow of direction.
It highlights how social media can be used as a tool for bullying, whilst demonstrating how readily people offer their personal details into the public domain and how this information can be used against them. Social media could be perceived as a bigger villain than Hedy and her infamous stiletto heels.
With a small cast, much was asked of the actors, in particular the leads Kym Marsh and Lisa Faulkner. Kym Marsh played a good but patchy version of the seductive Hedi. Lisa Faulkner’s characterisation of Allie was passive, which belied the likely characteristics of a dynamic IT startup CEO. Collectively, I didn’t feel the chemistry was strong enough between the two main characters to pull off the narrative. Andro played the role of Graham well and was funny and aggressive when required. Jonny McGarrity was accomplished as Sam, as was Amy Snudden as Bella.
Although I enjoyed the twist at the end and the new direction, with the dangers of social media communicated very well, it managed to fall flat. It wasn’t always apparent whether moments in the play that induced laughter from the audience were meant to be funny.
Gordon Greenberg's production of Single White Female represents a unique reimagination of an iconic 90s movie, which works well in parts but somehow fails to land with the precision of a well-aimed stiletto heel.
Production run (The Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield): Tuesday 24th February –Saturday 28th February 2026.
Running Time: around 2 hours and 10 mins, including an interval.
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/single-white-female/dates
Reviewer: Matthew Burgin
On: 24th February 2026
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