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The Fangirls
Conceived in New York, the nickname ‘fangirls’ was meant, and originally used derogatorily to describe the thirteen to seventeen year old girls who noisily consider a love for Wicked to be a way of life rather than just an interest, but the international fangirl community have embraced it and now bear their name with pride. Now, as Kerry Ellis prepares to fly from Wicked for good, London’s fangirls are busy making gifts, cards, booking their train tickets and putting green streaks in their hair ready for Kerry’s final performance.

Kerry has played Elphaba since Wicked began at London's Apollo Victoria, orginally as a standby for Idina Menzel. She took on the role full time in December 2006, and even played the role in New York for six months in 2008. Tickets for her final performance have been sold out for several months as the fangirls plan to give the world’s longest serving Elphaba the send off she deserves.

The Wicked send-off
Since Wicked began on Broadway in September 2005, cast changes have been big news for the fangirl community, and a principal performer’s final show becomes a riotous gala for the show’s hardened devotees. A final performance in Wicked will invariably be greeted with wild cheers and the ecstatic screaming usually saved for concerts.

Idina Menzel, who originated the role of Elphaba in New York and London, fell through a trap door the day before she was meant to leave the Broadway show. At her last performance, her role was played by Shoshana Bean, but Idina made an out-of-costume appearance on stage during the curtain call, prompting an ecstatic ovation that lasted over five minutes. For her last performance in London in December 2006, five hardened fans camped outside the Apollo Victoria over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to make sure they got the few front row seats released on the day. Once again, her send off was a lawless screamfest.

l-r: Idina Menzel, Kerry Ellis, Eden Espinosa

Eden Espinosa has appeared in three separate US productions (the US tour, two stints in Los Angeles and two on Broadway), making her, like Menzel and Ellis, a firm fangirl favourite. Her enormous following meant that her final performance in Los Angeles in January this year was full of fangirls from all over America, a fact that was evident from the noise. Riotous ovations and euphoric shrieks have sent off many an Elphaba, and Wicked’s ardent following has made theatre celebrities of those who get painted green in the name of Wicked, spurred internationally by infinite unofficial fansites, web forums, not to mention sneakily recorded material prevalent on a certain video website. Favourite Elphabas Shoshana Bean, Teal Wicks, Stephanie J. Block and even Alexia Khadime, who only played the role for six months in London last year, were all also seen off in classic fangirl style and are still celebrated online.

You can’t beat the atmosphere
While the fangirls are still seen to aggravate audiences, determinedly trying to make friends with cast and loudly bragging about how many times they’ve seen Wicked or how many cast members they’ve hugged, you can’t beat the atmosphere of a fangirl send off. Similarly, their persistent and noisy behaviour may be tiresome to the cast, it is surely an enormous compliment to a performer that so many people would be that willing to attend their special show and to show their appreciation and dogged dedication so rapturously.

Kerry Ellis leaves the London production of Wicked on 9 May, and Alexia Khadime will once again take the role of Elphaba from 11 May. The show is currently booking until April 2010 and tickets are available here.