Photos: GIRLS in Rehearsal at the Young Vic Theatre

The Young Vic Theatre has released all new rehearsal photos from Girls, coming to the intimate Maria Theatre later this month. It is directed by Ewa Dina, winner of the 2026 JMK Award, and written by Theresa Ikoko. Check out the photos below!

This powerful story of friendship under fire, winner of the Alfred Fagon Award (2015), the George Devine Award (2016), and a finalist for the Verity Bargate Award, plays from 22 October - 21 November, with a press night on 27 October.

The cast includes Hannah Akhalu (Cinderella, Rose Theatre; Every Leaf a Hallelujah, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) as Tisana, Tara Tijani (Beauty or Beast? A series of interviews, Young Vic; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare’s Globe) as Haleema and Sewa Zamba (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, Lyric Hammersmith; Shakespeare with Dame Judi Dench, The Mill at Sonning) as Ruhab.

Nigeria, 2014. Teenagers Tisana, Haleema, and Ruha are best friends, busy swapping notes on celebrities, sex positions, and dodging carbs.

But when they’re kidnapped by militant insurgents and forced towards an uncertain future, they have only each other to turn to. As fear and religious differences begin to fracture their bond, how far can their friendship be tested before it breaks?

The creative team features set & costume design by Raphaé Memon, lighting design by Elliott Griggs, composition by féz, sound design by Munotida Chinyanga, movement direction by dkfash, video design and programming by Sophie Bramley and fight & intimacy direction by Haruka Kuroda.

The Production Dramatherapist is Samantha Adams, the Costume Supervisor is Maddie Bevan, the Dialect Coach is Tomi Ogunjobi, the Production Manager is Carmel Macraee, the Stage Manager is Lavinia Serban, the Deputy Stage Manager is Shaneice Brown and the Technical Assistant Stage Manager is Amy Gelnar.

Photo Credit: Feruzi Afewerki-Abraha