For the past year Bryony Kimmings has been investigating all things tween – tween being that hazy period between the ages of seven and twelve.  Having spent time with her nine-year-old niece Taylor, she was shocked to discover the lack of decent female role models for tween girls who were instead being targeted by sexualised imagery, overly provocative pop stars and narrow-minded marketing attacks. Kimmings decided to beat the pop industry at its own game by developing a positive role model for tween girls with Taylor’s help.  The show presents a snapshot of their journey and draws attention to a generation that is facing unprecedented levels of media and marketing manipulation.

The show is confessional but mixes in humour, singing and dancing.  Kimming is renowned for her irreverent attitude and her colourful language but this show is different.  The swearing and caustic humour is still there but she channels it into her frustration at the current system that tells young girls to act in a certain way. Kimmings and her niece show that the restricted behaviour models presented to tweens are bitching, batting eyelids, dieting or acting like an insipid Disney princess – Snow White is the main culprit. 

Kimmings wants the stage to be a magical place for her niece to inhabit.  It is set up as a fairy tale woodland where the two begin as innocent Alice in Wonderland characters complete with blonde hair and blue outfits. As their narrative progresses, they turn into knights with chainmail and body armour as Kimmings becomes determined to fight for her niece and against the gender stereotypes thrust upon her. 

The stage truly becomes Taylor’s domain when Kimmings explains that they decided to create a pop star persona based on what Taylor wants to see in a role model.  Taylor made up all the details about Charlotte Bennett, a.k.a. CB, with the main character traits being kindness and love of animals. The song ‘Animal Kingdom’ incarnates these aspects, the audience are taught the dance moves and two members of the audience are brought on stage as backup dancers, or ‘CBeasties’.

Despite the positive and humorous moments, there are moments of gravity.  The most harrowing scene is when Taylor performs a new dance to a Katy Perry song she has learnt.  She dances innocently, having fun.  Kimmings begins with Taylor but then strips off her innocent outfit to reveal a bra and shiny, tight shorts.  She performs the sexualised version of the choreography and the contrast is sickening; both Kimmings and Taylor slowly come to a halt with expressions of dull horror.

Kimmings uses a metaphor for herself and her niece that is carried throughout the show.  Kimmings is the dinosaur, the old, big and scary adult; Taylor is the fawn, bright-eyed, curious and impressionable.  Kimmings describes her need and duty to guide, equip and nurture her niece with truths about feminism, happiness and life. It started as a personal quest but has turned into a quiet revolution.