Words: Aria Tsvetanova

TINK is a musical one-woman-show reminiscent of Heathers and Mean Girls about the ways in which the patriarchy forces girls to shrink themselves. It highlights the paradox of growing up female: the bigger you get, the less space you are meant to occupy, whether it be in the conversation, on stage or at school. 

The show uses the loose framework of Peter Pan to examine the ways in which women are pitted against each other to compete for male attention while policing each other at the same time. It is set in a fairy-inhabited world that is nonetheless painfully familiar, down to its fairycino coffees and 2020 pandemic.

We meet a young fairy named Tink (Kat Kleve). At five years old all she wants is to fly, remove her wing stabilisers and be the best at everything with her friend Chloe. However, soon the world of childhood exuberance and freedom shrinks down to school cliques and the pressure to conform at the expense of one’s personality. Tink realises that being the best often means being told you are too much. 

The show is tender and heart-warming as it explores growing-up, conformity, internalised misogyny, grief and loss. Lyricist and performer Kat Kleve infuses all the musical numbers with infectious energy and child-like zeal; from ballads about being betrayed by your best friend to Maths pun-filled songs about school cliques. 

While the message of the show may not be entirely new, its tenderness and empathy make it a worthwhile watch for anyone who has ever been forced to shrink themselves to fit in.

TINK
Underbelly Bristo Square – Clover
12:55
2-20 Aug