Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff – review

Thanks to Wales Millennium Centre for providing review tickets for Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical

Seductive, scandalous and with a soundtrack jampacked with 90s hits, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical opened last night in Cardiff. It’s running at Wales Millennium Centre until Saturday as part of its first UK tour following Broadway and West End success.

The show is perfect entertainment for anyone looking for a dose of nostalgia and drama. Secrets, manipulation and revenge unfolding to an eclectic mix of 90s classics including Christina Aguilera’s Genie in a Bottle, TLC’s No Scrubs, The Cardigans’ Love Fool, The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony and lots more.

The stage show is based on the iconic film, which was inspired by Les Liaisons Dangereuses, the 18^th century book banned by Parisian authorities.

Set in one of Manhattan’s most exclusive high schools, privileged step siblings Sebastian and Kathryn engage in a cruel bet. Kathryn goads Sebastian into attempting to seduce Annette, their headmaster’s virtuous daughter, alongside seeking revenge on Kathryn’s former love interest Court and his new flame Cecile. However, as the duo scheme, manipulate and tempt with no concern for who gets hurt in the process, real romances begin to form, hearts get broken and there are serious consequences.

Despite all the drama, this is a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously. There’s so much brilliant humour and laugh-out-loud one liners. 90s hit after hit are shoehorned into the storyline, sometimes flowing naturally, sometimes feeling gratuitous, but all leaving you singing along in your head.

The stage is pretty minimal. A patterned marble-style floor and arched high pillars depict the elite lifestyle, while the band are positioned on a platform throughout. The lighting at times fills the auditorium disco-style but this is very much a show that relies on the cast to entertain, without fancy gimmicks and special effects.

And entertain they do, with brilliant ensemble pieces. The harmonies in Bittersweet Symphony are beautiful while the preppy school uniform costumes and dynamic choreography fill the stage for some of the faster numbers.

Who is in the cast for Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical UK tour?

Will Callan nails the icy-cool Sebastian. He’s confident, charming and dangerous, before revealing a softer side. He delivers the Goo Goo Dolls’ Iris with precision and emotion – it’s one of my favourite musical moments in the show. Nic Myers as Kathryn is sexy and manipulative. Her vocal medley near the end as she spirals is especially captivating, although I would have liked to have seen more chemistry between the leading duo.

Abbie Budden’s Annette is self-assured and very likeable while Lucy Carter as Cecile really plays into the character’s quirkiness, She overplays and exaggerates these traits with a completely straight face, even in her musical numbers. Her rendition of Ace of Base’s The Sign is a comedy gold while you’ll never see Boyz II Men’s I’ll Make Love To You in the same way again.

What is the age guidance for Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical?

The show has an age guidance of 15, with no admission to under 2s. It comes with a content warning of strong strong language, explicit sexual language and behaviour, racial discrimination, drug usage, and more. I’m usually the first to take my teens and tweens along to the theatre but actually took a friend last night, which was the right decision for our family.

It’s quite explicit at times with some graphic (although fully clothed) sexual scenes that teens may not want to watch sat alongside their parent. Some may also be a little ‘enlightening’, shall we say, for younger teens and tweens. Some of the language is very much of its time, especially some of the homophobic slurs. There’s always a question with modern interpretations as to how much you update outdated and offensive language and how much you leave in for authenticity. Given some of the trickier consent issues from the film have been updated, perhaps some of these one liners could have been modified too without affecting the overall storylines.

Book now

Overall, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is an uplifting night. It’s sexy, seductive, full of drama and with a brilliant soundtrack that you’ll be singing your heart out to on the way home.

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is at Wales Millennium Centre until Saturday 31 May. Tickets still available, from £18. Age guidance 15+ with no admittance to under 2s.

Performances are on Thursday 7.30pm, Friday 5pm and 8.30pm and Saturday 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Running time 2h 15 including interval.

Book online here.

Also coming up at Wales Millennium Centre: & Juliet (16-28 June); The Book Of Mormon (1-19 July); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (22-27 July).