I’ve not seen the original HEATHERS movie, so i can’t speak as to how faithful an adaptation the musical is or isn’t.
The songs are catchy as hell, keeping the energy high. My issue is with the script, in the way it weaves back and forth between dialogue and song. I mean, HEATHERS : THE MUSICAL
is buried under so many layers of cynicism and camp that it’s hard to find emotional moments underneath its weight. It’s like the musical is reticent to distance itself from the heart of the story.
Its 1989, Ohio, and on stage we find Veronica Sawyer despairing at Westlerberg High School’s hellish social hierarchy, where students like heavyset Martha Dunnstock, Veronica’s best chum are tormented by jocks Ram Sweeny and Kurt Kelly and the school is ruled by a clique called the Heathers: weak-willed cheerleader Heather McNamara, bulimic and petty but repressed Heather Duke, and “mythic bitch” Heather Chandler.
When Veronica’s talent for forgery gets the Heathers out of detention, they give her a makeover and elevated her to their inner circle (“beautiful”).
The musical has dark themes and sanitised them with pop music and cartoonish characters but it has its silly charms.The tacky high school-style staging seems somehow appropriate. I mean, it’s sunny and sparky as the first act moves briskly while the director and cast milk every last drop out of the script and songs.
You can see the actors feeding off the energy in the room and this dynamic makes for truly engaging viewing. The music is so good that it’s easy to turn your brain off and get swept away with the spectacle. Let’s face it, for a homicidal tale the musical is hilarious and heart-felt. The production is a high energ, immersive theatre-experience with a darkly delicious story of a teenage misfit who hustles her way into the power group at Westerberg High School.
Loved the sharp performance of Martha the school nerd, with her rendition of “kindergarten boyfriend ” while the Principal milked plenty of laughs doubling as the leading lady’s mom. Stealing the film were the two bullies and their parents with the funniest song of the night which celebrated tolerance. The romantic duo have terrific on-stage chemistry and sizzle as brightly as the light-show.
HEATHERS : THE MUSICAL, directed by Andy Fickman and starring Ailsa Davidson, Simon Gordon, Madison Firth, Vivian Panka and Teleri Hughes, rips through the charts partnering memorable rock score with biting comedy, even if it’s a trite bitchy
HEATHERS : THE MUSICAL opens in cinemas on Thursday 4th September 2025.
