FANGIRLS

When Zayn Malik left One Direction in 2015, thousands of hearts broke in sync. Many devoted fangirls refused to go into school the following day, while others requested compassionate leave from work - typically taken when a member of an employee’s immediate family dies.

With their pink cowboy hats and feather boas in tow, fangirls are often dismissed and laughed at. They’re called ‘crazy’, ‘hysterical’ or ‘psycho’.

But was the same language used when Three Lions fans called in sick after the devastating Euros Final?

This double standard is what up-and-coming playwright Yve Blake explores in her new comedy musical FANGIRLS. Blake started writing the musical in the wake of Zayn Malik leaving One Direction. After its premiere in 2019, it was met with raving reviews in Australia. Now FANGIRLS has hit British shores.

Jasmine Elcock leads the cast as 14-year-old Edna - an impressive feat for her West End debut. She delivers an understated performance before blowing the house down with powerhouse vocals in the songs ‘Silly Little Girl’ and ‘Learning To Be Lonely’ - the latter of which was written specially for the UK premiere. You would expect nothing less from a Britain’s Got Talent finalist.

Edna has a difficult relationship with her overworked single mother, she is struggling to fit in as a scholarship kid at an all girl’s private school and she keeps falling out with her best friends.

But through it all, Edna turns to one person that lights up her world like nobody else: Harry.

Harry is the lead singer of the boyband Heartbreak Nation - and any resemblance to a real-life heartthrob of the same name is purely coincidental.

With his chronic hair-flipping, Harry, played by Thomas Grant, truly turns the musical into a concert. Paired with the magical touch of Ebony Williams - choreographer to the stars (including Beyoncé) - you forget you’re in the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre instead of the O2.

Terique Jarrett is a comedic stand-out as Edna’s internet friend Salty. Whenever the pair intensely discuss fanfiction over the internet, Ash J Woodward’s multidimensional set design reflects how they are chronically online.

Edna’s real-life besties Brianna and Jules, played by Miracle Chance and Mary Malone, effortlessly bounce off each other to produce the show’s most authentic and hilarious scenes. The trials and tribulations of their friendship bring you straight back to the school locker room.

Despite its side-ripping humour, Fangirls explores hard-hitting themes such as divorce, domestic abuse and self-harm - which skewed the pacing slightly in the second act.

But it works as a heartwarming new musical for fans of Dear Evan Hansen and Heathers (who may recognise Miracle Chance from her time playing Veronica Sawyer at The Other Palace).

Another crowd-favourite is ensemble member Gracie McGonigal - as seen in Olivier nominated Little Big Things. She brings an electric energy to the stage with her rocketing riffs and is particularly hilarious in the song ‘Actually Dead’ where Woodward’s camera zooms in on her sparkly eye makeup as she pleas for Harry to lower his ticket prices. ‘What the hell 13-year-old has £139.95?!’

Gracie and the rest of the hard-working chorus work to smooth over gaps between scenes - running off and appearing back onstage in a brand new costume in seemingly record-breaking time. During the interval, they interact with the audience to foster an authentic concert atmosphere which allows Act Two to take off on a high.

The jokes strewn throughout the two-and-a-half hour musical unashamedly target Gen Z - with most flying over the heads of any one over 30.

But there is a fluorescent pink essence of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie too - an inter-generational appreciation of what it means to be a woman. I’m sure those who remember Beatlemania will love this show just as much as someone who considers themselves a Swiftie.

FANGIRLS is at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre until August 24.