From causing seismic activity at Harry Styles concerts to Swifties boosting the UK economy during the Eras Tour, the power of teenage female pop fans shouldn't be underestimated. For playwright Yve Blake, the danger of dismissing these youngsters is the inspiration behind her new comedy musical Fangirls. Following the life of 14-year-old Edna, who is obsessed with a boy band resembling One Direction, Fangirls explores "what it means to love something without apology".
The idea came to Blake in 2015 after she witnessed a pivotal moment in the lives of thousands of teenage girls - Zayn Malik left One Direction. Despondent and heartbroken fans across the world were shown weeping inconsolably - but for Blake, something even more interesting caught her eye. "People started calling these young girls crazy, hysterical and psycho," the writer explains.
"I asked myself the question - would the same words be used to describe male football fans? "The girls screaming at the top of their lungs at Taylor Swift concerts are cringe, but men running around with their tops off and fist pumping the air because England scored a goal are just supporting their country. "It seems like there's definitely a double standard there." But the musical doesn't just praise fangirls.
"It's a lot more nuanced than that," Blake explains. "We look at the dark side of worshipping celebrities as well as praising the decision for girls to make an empowered choice to love something free of judgement. "I'd describe .
