PLAY REVIEW: Period Parrrty ★★★

Playing at The Soho Theatre, Period Parrrty, written by Gayathiri Kamalakanthan and directed by Gitika Buttoo, is a lively, big-hearted exploration of adolescence, identity, and ritual, though one that occasionally gets tangled in its own ambitions.

Set in 2010, the play follows 14-year-old Krish (a tender and truthful Elizabeth Green); a Tamil teenager who identifies as non-binary and must navigate the expectations of a traditional “period party.” Alongside best friend Brenavee (a buoyant Tanvi Virmani), Krish plots to rewrite the ceremony on their own terms, with often funny, sometimes moving results. Rani Moorthy, as Amma, grounds the piece with quiet dignity and a palpable sense of generational weight.

Visually, the production oscillates between naturalism and heightened theatricality. Katie Scott’s set and Niroshini Thambar’s score lend it texture and atmosphere, but the lighting design feels distractingly uneven. The liberal use of LED washes, while clearly aiming for contemporary flair, too often flattens the emotional palette rather than enhancing it; a reminder that glow does not always equal warmth. The result is a stage that feels lit for spectacle when intimacy would better serve the story.

Sundeep Saini’s movement direction adds rhythmic grace, yet the overall pacing sometimes stumbles, with tonal shifts that feel abrupt rather than organic. Still, there’s much to admire in Kamalakanthan’s script, a vibrant, searching voice exploring queerness, family, and belonging. Period Parrrty may not fully come of age, but its heart is unmistakably in the right place.