We round up the reviews for this musical running at the theatre until the 24th August.
The Guardian: *** “The score includes electro pop, rap, emo and a cappella. Sometimes the music and lyrics jar in tone, but, more troublingly, the comedy clashes against the book’s darkness, which speaks of teen depression, self-harm, friendship fallouts, domestic violence and climate disaster. These are dealt with too briefly, although the mother-daughter friction is more meaty and moving (Debbie Kurup is great as Edna’s overworked single mum).”
Time Out: “‘Fangirls’ has its moments and might even be pretty great if it was totally redirected. But ultimately it feels like a missed opportunity – more Matt Cardle than One Direction.”
The Telegraph: *** “The hit Australian musical is a fun defence of teenage girl fandoms – but it ticks off Gen Z afflictions in a way that feels formulaic.”
All That Dazzles: *** “With Paige Rattray at the helm as director, this UK premiere of Fangirlsbenefits from a unity to the performances, and a clarity in its vision as a story interspersed with a fan-driven concert spectacular. Where Rattray can’t quite correct the pacing and tonal problems baked into the script itself, there is a remarkable control of the pace of the evening if not of the story – everything is so bright, so overwhelmingly fun, that the realisation of these issues can take a few minutes of the interval to truly settle in. Imperfect but utterly charming, Fangirlsis like its brazen cast of characters – awkward, quirky, and ultimately a lot of fun to spend a few hours with.”
Evening Standard: *** “The dancing is dynamic, the singing largely good, the design a pulsating mix of music-video graphics and deranged close ups projected onto three curved screens. But the veil of kookiness covering a thin, derivative plot really bugged me.”
Theatre Weekly: *** “WhileFangirlsoccasionally lacks depth, it never falls short of energy. It’s a must-see for the vibrant and authentic performances of the cast, who bring the highs and lows of teenage fangirl life to life with infectious enthusiasm.”
WhatsOnStage: ***** “Alongside this, Rattray’s direction itself is impeccable, moving us between humour and the deadly serious on a knife edge. All of the songs are really strong, but the particular standout is “Disgusting”, in which Edna and her two best friends, Brianna (a sweet Miracle Chance) and Jules (the always excellent Mary Malone), sing about how much they wish they looked different. It’s heartbreaking, for anyone who has been or known a teenage girl, but also hilarious, to hear the words “minging” and “butthole” in a ballad.”
LouReviews: *** “But the target market of teens will lap it up, and it deserves attention for addressing how hard it is to cross that line from child to adult when your body is giving you signals you don’t quite understand.”
London Theatre.co.uk: ***** “Crucially, Blake makes a much larger point about the representation of young female fans in the media as ‘hysterical’ and ‘psychotic’, using Andrew Tate-style video footage of two chat show hosts to convey this entrenched negativity. But she balances all of this perfectly, so thatFangirlsremains, at its heart, a celebration of young female expression.”
The Independent: ***** “Combining the acid wit of‘Six’, the rebel streak of‘Matilda‘and the gooey heart of‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’,Yve Blake’s new musical will inspire outsized feelings and ardent devotion.”
Theatre & Tonic: **** “It’s madcap and fun and doesn’t take itself serious. When all is said and done, Fangirls is a stonkingly good, zany and bonkers musical. I would love to see it have further life after its run at the Lyric Hammersmith and would personally be very surprised if it doesn’t! Run and get yourself a ticket now!“
The Stage: **** “Yve Blake’s defiantly poptastic, tongue-in-cheek musical serves justice to teenage fangirls.”
The Reviews Hub: **** “All of the cast are impressive on stage. Elco*ck as the clever and dysfunctional Edna has a familiar and moving relationship with her mother Caroline (Debbie Kurup), But what’s captivating is thatFangirlscaptures the intensity and accompanying loneliness of feeling obsessed with something as a teen: ‘Nobody feels like I feel… in your eyes, I’m someone I want to be’.”
Broadway World: ***** “Behind the glitzy chaos,Fangirlsis a show with a remarkable amount of heart. Blake writes with a real empathy for and understanding of teenage fan culture.”
To book tickets visit: https://lyric.co.uk/shows/fangirls/
