4 April 2023
4****
High Schools and Teenage Angst are fertile ground for writers of books, plays, films and musicals. Take ‘Grease’ or ‘Spring Awakening’, for instance, which both deal with growing pains in rather more contrasting styles. The 1988 film ‘Heathers’ falls into this category, but writer Daniel Waters definitely took things into the darker side. It would take 20 years for it to hit the stage as a musical.
The story tells of awkward teenager Veronica Sawyer, who uses her forgery skills to get in with the three most powerful students at Westerberg High School, all of whom are called Heather. Meeting up with a mysterious fellow student, JD, Veronica’s story lurches into love, murder, and the alienation of her best friend. It is a heady mixture.
What sets this show apart is a book which is sparkling with wit, humour (of every hue) and coarseness; it fairly crackles along and is extremely entertaining. The story is strong and though it has depth, the overblown nature of it just falls short of creating an emotional connection. Musically this is a real variety pack; from punchy rock to tender laments and power anthems to the quite brilliant arm-waving gospel number, ‘My Dead Gay Son’ – which is pricelessly hilarious. The writing of Keith Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe is very much to be admired.
The show is performed with such vigour and enthusiasm that it is difficult not to enjoy it. Heading up the cast is Jenna Innes as Veronica; an entirely convincing performance and with a voice which fills the auditorium with ease. Verity Thompson plays arch-bitch Heather Chandler with lip-dripping relish and Billie Bowman and Elise Zavou patently have a ball as her cohorts. Jacob Fowler’s JD is full of quirkiness and darkness and his very beautiful singing voice is a joy. Alex Woodward and Morgan Jackson almost steal the show as the dense jocks Kurt and Ram – they have enormous charm and perfect comic timing. Kingsley Morton grabs at the heartstrings effectively as the bullied Martha and there is great work from the ‘adults’ of the cast Conor MacFarlane, Jay Bryce and Katie Paine. The whole cast are energetic and very entertaining.
Andy Fickman directs with an eye on pace and a smart visual style and Ben Cracknell’s lighting is extremely inventive and effective. Choreography is slick sassy and innovative; Gary Lloyd has created a great palate of moves. The band is headed by Will Joy and they take the numbers at full tilt; though the sound balance does lead them to drown out the singing in certain numbers. With lyrics which are so clever and which move the story along, it is irritating in the extreme not to be able to hear them; a frequent moan and a situation which I just hope can be rectified. With a simple, but effective set and costumes that stand out from the crowd, David Sheilds has augmented the show in an ideal way.
Having ones expectations more than favourably met is always a good feeling and it is not difficult to see why ‘Heathers’ has won awards, had long runs in London and is playing to packed houses around the UK. The show is full of switches from the hilarious to deeply dark humour and tragedy and eventually moves into high melodrama; this may well grate with some people. However it remains a fun, funny and always entertaining show, if you don’t think it’s your cup of tea, then think again and give it a try, it will more than likely surprise you. In so many ways it’s a bit of an understated gem.
CAST & CREATIVES
VERONICA SAWYER – JENNA INNES
JASON ‘JD’ DEAN – JACOB FOWLER
HEATHER CHANDLER – VERITY THOMPSON
HEATHER DUKE – ELISE ZAVOU
HEATHER MCNAMARA – BILLIE BOWMAN
MS FLEMING/VERONICA’S MUM – KATIE PAINE
MARTHA DUNNSTOCK – KINGSLEY MORTON
KURT KELLY – ALEX WOODWARD
RAM SWEENEY – MORGAN JACKSON
RAM’S DAD/BIG BUD DEAN/COACH RIPPER – CONNOR MCFARLANE
KURT’S DAD/VERONICA’S DAD/PRINCIPAL GOWAN – JAY BRYCE
PREPPY STUD/OFFICER – MARKUS SODERGREN
BELEAGURED GEEK – TOM DICKERSON
HIPSTER DORK/OFFICER – LIAM DEAN
YOUNG REPUBLICANETTE – SUMMER PRIEST
STONER CHICK – MAEVE BYRNE
NEW WAVE PARTY GIRL – ELIZA BOWDEN
DRAMA CLUB DRAMA QUEEN – ELEANOR WALSH
MIDWESTERN SURFER PUNK – LIZZIE EMERY
BOOK, MUSIC & LYRICS – KEVIN MURPHY & LAURENCE O’KEEFE
BASED ON THE FILM BY DANIEL WATERS
DIRECTOR – ANDY FICKMAN
CHOREOGRAPHER/ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR – GARY LLOYD
DESIGN – DAVIS SHIELDS
LIGHTING DESIGN – BEN CRACKNELL
SOUND DESIGN – DAN SAMSON
MUSICAL DIRECTOR – WILL JOY
A BILL KENWRIGHT/PAUL TAYLOR-MILLS PRODUCTION
