An homage to weirdos, women and geeks – Grammar Girls Grind invites you to enroll in the tales of the authentic grammar school experience!
Bonnie McGhee’s Grammar Girls Grind is a triumphant tribute to grammar girls everywhere. It truly details a universal school experience, where grades and roles in the school determine both your social and educational hierarchy. Even the title alludes to the stories about to unfold, with the potential double entendre of “grind” as both the educational and “recreational” definition. This was such an entertaining experience, we were lucky enough to have Bonnie join the screening of the series and speak first hand about her project. Bonnie’s team have done such a fantastic job and it was clear how much of a family had been created over the course of filming and creation.
The series encapsulates the chaos and madness that is taken so seriously, which is reflected in the characters themselves and the variety of camera angles and creative shots. The often on-the-nose, blatant humour worked so well to expose the earnest attitudes of grammar girls everywhere. This also balanced well with the naivety of the characters, thinking they knew it all when really, school is only the beginning.
Each character was well thought through, all motivations were made clear in the storytelling and every character developed throughout each episode. This was refreshing since it kept an element of realism embedded in the madness, bringing the characters back down to earth. The comedic timing of every actor really shone through the writing.
Rüva Jasi as Willow showed off her dedicated comedic approach to the character and her manic behaviour at times, providing some main character energy and enthusiasm for every episode. Carmen’s character had such a growth in her overall arc, developing from a stern, focused individual to opening up her feelings to the group and accepting herself. Tabitha Crocker gave a fantastic and committed portrayal of Carmen and all her oddities that was celebrated in the end by her peers. Aiyana Bartlett as Bea really became one with her character, the one friend who is effortlessly clever when she chooses to be but with a balance of support to her grammar sisters through holistic healing and crystals. The wealth of skills that Aiyana Bartlett offered to the character was mesmerising and I commend the commitment to every scene. Rhys Quilley as Kian gave a really grounded performance amongst the group, with the aspiring theatre kid emerging from the short bursts of song throughout and the motivation to fit in with the girls’ already formed bonds.Ruby Layla Redford’s Gwen, the typical “popular/head girl” type, had terrific comedic timing and outstanding range of acting skills throughout.
I loved the details in costume, down to the logo of “GGG” featured in the school’s crest. Molly Fraser did an amazing job at crafting each character’s costume to be unique to them. Special mentions should also go to artist Felix Blunden ( “Felix Blu” on social media) who did a stellar job at designing the characters in cartoon form and animating the title sequence.
This was a great proof of concept! I would love to see more from each episode; the team had grasped the story in every episode for the concentrated time we witnessed.
I could definitely picture it as an ITV/ BBC series, appealing especially to audiences familiar with Derry Girls or the Inbetweeners. I can’t wait to see how the series develops and hope to see it on TVs soon! Bonnie McGhee is one to watch, it’ll be exciting to see her name featured in upcoming sitcoms.