Overview
After a year that's been light on both theatre and live music, Belvoir St Theatre is coming to the party with the return of its high-energy musical Fangirls. Following its sell-out debut in 2019, the super-popular production is making its way to the Seymour Centre for three weeks this summer, with curtains opening from Saturday, January 30. Expect the 2.0 version to be bigger and bolder, with a refreshed script and new cast, bringing to life Yve Blake's sparkling tale of a young girl's obsession with the world's biggest boy band and its hunky lead singer. Still need convincing? Here's a look at what you're in for this time around.
Brett Boardman
THE REVIEWS
Fangirls proved a sell-out success with its premiere run last year, capturing the hearts of audiences and scooping multiple awards in the process. The Australian described the production as "a life-affirming night of pure theatrical escapism" while The Guardian called it "the best pop concert you've never been to". But it wasn't just the critics who were raving, with many audience members becoming, ironically, fangirls themselves. "Apparently last time someone came [to see the show] 13 times," says Yve Blake, who penned Fangirls' book, music and lyrics, as well as played the lead of Edna in the 2019 show. There was also a bunch of fan art that poured in, including handmade comics, embroidery and t-shirts. Blake says such a response "emboldened me and the team and made us go, 'alright, let's go wackier, let's go bigger and better, more camp. Let's be less apologetic'". So, even if you saw Fangirls' debut last year, it's likely you'll want to see it this time round, too.
Brett Boardman
THE STORY
It all started with the playwright's own encounter with a Harry Styles-obsessed 13 year old. Blake embarked on a deep dive into the long-held cultural phenomenon of fangirls, which served as the inspiration for her vivacious 2019 stage show. "I realised the way that the world thinks about fangirls is a microcosm for the ways that the world sometimes tries to ridicule young female enthusiasm," says Blake. The play follows protagonist Edna — performed by Karis Oka (Six the Musical) in the upcoming production — a city girl conspiring to confess her undying love to True Connection frontman Harry, performed by real-life popstar and The Voice 2018 finalist Aydan. Riding the highs and lows right alongside the disillusioned teenager, audiences are invited to embrace the idea of fandom while turfing aside all those pesky, inhibiting notions of shame. "From the outside, it seems like a party of a show that pokes a bit of fun at fangirls," says Blake. "But actually, at the bleeding heart of it, it gets you to laugh at these girls only to cry with them."
Brett Boardman
THE MUSIC
Fangirls' fun, unapologetic story is backed by Blake's boppy, banger-filled soundtrack that'll be sure to have you grooving in your seat. The inspiration? "For me, the show needed to sound like a Beyoncé concert, meets rave, meets church. I wanted to make a show about what it feels like to fall in love for the first time at 14." To that end, expect to rocket between soaring choral numbers, techno tunes and upbeat dance tracks — a fittingly bold sonic journey that neatly captures the spirit of fangirl phenomenon — with a high energy similar to being in the heart of a pop-concert mosh pit. "It's like the tequila shot that Australian musical theatre needed," says Oka, summing up the show's tunes, which sounds like a pretty good tonic after the trashfire year of 2020.
Brett Boardman
THE TEAM
For its 2021 run, Fangirls will be directed once again by Paige Rattray with a rejigged, diverse cast of young, up-and-coming stars. "They're the next generation of rockstars in musical theatre," says Blake, "I'm just really excited for audiences to see them". Oka is taking over from Blake as the lead and Aydan is returning to the Fangirls cast in the role of Harry. "He was in the show last year and his actual fans would show up and scream and get him to sign stuff. It was so meta," says Blake. Rising star James Majoos is another returning favourite, along with Chika Ikogwe whose 2019 performance won her Best Newcomer at the Sydney Theatre Awards. And if you aren't already familiar with new Fangirls stars including Shubshri Kandiah, Shannen Alyce Quan and Tomáš Kantor, we're assured you will be very soon.
'Fangirls' is showing at the Seymour Centre from Saturday, January 30 to Saturday, February 20, 2021. To book tickets and find out more about Belvoir St Theatre's latest must-see, check out the website.
Top image: Brett Boardman