FANGIRLS : UPSTAIRS @ BELVOIR STREET

Adolescent crushes, with  the hormones going crazy, on pop stars are, relatively speaking, common place. The crush that Edna has on pop star Harry is on the extreme spectrum.  She has complete belief that she will meet him and have a relationship with him.

Edna’s obsession diverts her from her school work. She devotes a lot of her time to writing dark non naturalistic fiction about Harry and his band ‘True Connections’. Indeed the play’s striking first scene is from one of these ‘weird’ stories.

I’m not giving too much of the story away to say that Edna ends up meeting Harry, It’s what happens  after the meeting that grabs our attention and keeps our focus until the play’s end.

What I can tell you is that I loved this show. Director Paige Rattray has come up with a striking production. Most of all I loved the show’s intensity which never let up for one minute.

Playwright Yve Blake has come up with quite a story. She also gives a very strong performance in the lead role of Edna.  Ayden, who made his name during last year’s Voice program, gives an equally strong performance as charismatic pop star Harry.

One of the highlights of the show was when the show transformed , and we became the audience at a rock concert as Harry played for us. The shift  was ‘managed’ in a breath taking, exciting way.

Rattray wins good performances from the remainder of the cast- Kimberley Hodgson, Chika Ikogwe, Ayesha Madon, Jamdes Majoos, the always great Sharon Millerchip and Melissa Russo.

The work of Rattray’s creative team featuring set, video content and costume designer David Fleischer, lighting designer Emma Valente and Sound designer Michael Waters, choreographer Leonard Valente and dramaturg Jonathon Ware=, impressed and showed great vision.

Recommended, FANGIRLS is playing upstairs at Belvoir Street Theatre until Sunday 10th November, 2019

Featured image : Sharon Millerchip, James Majoos, Yve Blake, Chika Ikogwe and Kimberley Hodgson in FANGIRLS by Brett Boardman