An extremely dark, disturbing, and hilarious examination of teenage obsession, with highly believable performances

Jenny Rachel Weiner’s new play Horse Girls takes place in the bedroom of twelve year-old Ashleigh (Olivia Macklin). When I think of the typical teenage girl’s room, I envision a few posters, a few books, a few movies, maybe even a few trophies or ribbons. Ashleigh’s bedroom is completely (and I mean completely) decked out in equestrian paraphernalia — photos of horses, a marked-up horse calendar, a rocking horse, horse plush toys, and a lovely view of the stables outside her bedroom window (Daniel Geggatt designed the set). Ashleigh is the president of the Lady Jean Ladies, a cultish all-female club dedicated to anything equestrian. Ashleigh leads the club with an iron fist, a nasty smile and calmly calculated cruelty. When club member Tiffany (Angeliea Stark) announces that she has been accepted to the Galileo Horse Camp for the summer, Ashleigh threatens her with expulsion from the club — apparently, missing more than two meetings in a row gets you kicked out. The meeting is suddenly interrupted by Brandi (Katie Lawson), who gives the girls terrible news: The Lady Jean Stables are going to be sold to make way for a strip mall, and their precious horses are to be killed and used for meat. The girls break down at this, to a heavy metal rendition of Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse”. They then try to summon Ann Romney to help them, and even call the White House in an attempt to get in contact with her