Revival of Michaela Coel's 'Chewing Gum Dreams' Brings New Life to Teenage Monologue

A revival of Michaela Coel's 2012 monologue "Chewing Gum Dreams" is currently running at Theatre503 in London, according to a review published by The Guardian's culture section. The production, which runs until 17 October, features actor Lauryn Ajufo in the lead role of Tracey.

The Guardian's review describes the play as exploring the self-flagellations of adolescence, drawing a comparison to Harry Enfield's comic character Kevin the Teenager. The reviewer states that Coel's character Tracey is "every bit matched" by such comparisons, describing her as an exuberant and offensive figure who is at once "upstart, bully, trusty friend and a bewildered girl defined by class and race by her own schoolteacher."

According to the review, Tracey is portrayed as Black British and downtrodden, as well as sexually curious and infatuated with a white classmate named Connor. The monologue reportedly covers themes including friendship, sexual discovery and abuse, with anecdotes ranging from a classmate's ability to lick her own vagina to a best friend in a relationship with an older, controlling boyfriend.

The review notes that the original monologue, performed by Coel herself, was later adapted into the Channel 4 television series "Chewing Gum." According to the Guardian, that adaptation expanded Coel's solo, multi-voiced performance into an ensemble cast of colorful characters and comedy, but in doing so "lost some of its intensity and darkness" present in the original stage work.

The review credits Ajufo with making the role of Tracey her own in this revival, capturing what the critic describes as the cruelty, confusion and comedy inherent in the character's adolescence.