Posts with the label Heathers the Musical
Showing posts with label Heathers the Musical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heathers the Musical. Show all posts
Wednesday, 8 March 2023
Five Reasons to see Heathers the Musical on Tour
Since making its London debut in 2018, Heathers the Musical has gained a massive cult following and has gone on to do a number of London runs and touring productions. This current version takes the iconic show around the UK and features a fantastic cast who absolutely nail the roles. If you're still debating whether you should catch the show on tour, here are five reasons why we think you should...
The Soundtrack is Super Catchy
Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe’s book, music and lyrics have so many witty moments where you'll be laughing out loud and there are also some genuinely touching moments. The music is engaging and camp with so much 80s realness woven throughout. If you're remotely stagey, you've probably heard some of the songs, most likely Candy Store which is a definite stand out of the show. Aside from the humourous songs there are some very heartfelt moments like Kindergarten Boyfriend, a beautiful soliloquy performed by Martha aka Kingsley Morton, and some definite earworms such as Seventeen and Shine a Light.
The Cast are SO Talented
This touring cast are one of the strongest I've seen in Heathers with a number of standout performances and some great ensemble work. As Veronica Sawyer, Jenna Innes gives a really well developed performance and feels vocally strong throughout. Her chemistry with the brooding serial killer JD (Jacob Fowler) is pretty strong and the duo really shine in their moments together, especially when the drama really gets going. The Heathers themselves bring all the farce and sass you'd expect. Elise Zavou is enjoyable as Duke, Verity Thompson is hilarious and vocally dreamy as Chandler and Billie Bowman really highlights the reluctance of McNamara to go along with her 'friends' and gives a surprisingly nuanced and emotive performance, not always seen in Heathers.
The Production Value is Really Strong
This is a show which transfers so effectively to touring, David Shields' 80s design is bright and engaging whilst Ben Cracknell's lighting is super effective, especially when highlighting the cast in their signature colours. The fairly simple set is elevated by a number of special effects and costume quick changes, all of which really feel at home on a touring stage. The slow mo fight scene and clever sound effects (Dan Samson) for the croquet game work really well too, and the ensemble do so much to really embellish all the scenes, with individual characteristics and storylines shining through and adding a lot of interest.
It's Melodrama at its Finest
Whilst Heathers touches on some really sensitive topics, it does so in a way that is hilariously over the top. It's camp and angsty at the same time. With deep moments suddenly balanced with a gag; the more times I see this show, the more effective I think it is. Kurt Kelly (Alex Woodward) and Ram Sweeney (Morgan Jackson) are peak hilarity in their portrayals and really lean into the teen humour of the piece. The whole shebang, with the ott choreography and character entrances make the whole thing so dramatic you cant help but enjoy it. Once you get over the slight cringe of it all, it's a really fun night out!
The Audience Atmosphere Needs to be Experienced
Heathers is an absolute crowd pleaser that has made and retained so many fans over its time and the way these fans love and support the show is truly lovely to experience. Cheering and whooping as if their family members are on stage, the audience appreciation is so real and makes for a really warm feeling theatrical experience.
Heathers The Musical plays at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking until 11th March 2023 and then continues its tour
photo credit: Pamela Raith
Wednesday, 3 November 2021
Heathers The Musical (UK Tour), New Wimbledon Theatre | Review
Heathers The Musical (UK Tour)
New Wimbledon Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 2nd November 2021 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
Westerberg High School is back open and this time it's touring the UK, currently playing at the New Wimbledon Theatre. The show's popularity is evident from acclaimed Off-West End and West End runs in 2018, followed by another West End engagement this summer and a newly announced run at The Other Palace. The touring production embodies the same energy and will continue to provide Big Fun until the end of the year.
What works so well about this musical is that it doesn't take itself too seriously; the whole thing is melodramatic and larger than life, focussing on high school stereotypes that are highly stylised and humourous. Alongside this, Heathers does focus on some extremely dark issues such as suicide, sexual assault and bullying, and it does so pretty well, although at times it feels somewhat sloppily handled and it would be great if there were some sort of trigger warnings before the show or placed around the theatre to prepare people for some jarring moments.
However, Andy Fickman does a great job at directing this fast-paced black comedy, which alongside Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe’s book, music and lyrics provides an energetic and enjoyable night out. Ben Cracknell's lighting does an excellent job of packing the stage with colour and cleverly draws your eye to crucial moments as well as literally highlighting the Heathers in their signature colours and often bathing JD in a cool, eerie shade. David Shields' design effectively transfers us to each plot setting, whilst maintaining the school vibes which course throughout; and the split levels utilise the space as well as working to emphasise the hierarchies of the characters.
Phil Cornwell leads the band to bring the rock soundtrack to life vigorously, Dan Samson's sound design really shines and Gary Lloyd's choreography ties it all together, with some excellent work by the mile a minute ensemble.
As our protagonist Veronica Sawyer, Rebecca Wickes is a powerhouse force. Her vocals are sensational and she maintains her energy and intelligence from start to finish. Barely leaving the stage Rebecca is a joy to watch as she brings a wide array of emotion and has a self-awareness that is magnetic. Simon Gordon as the brooding bad boy JD has equal pull as he sweeps Veronica and the audience up with his suave mystique, only to reveal his true self as the show moves on. Simon's voice is perfectly matched to the role and the pair work brilliantly together.
The three Heathers are played boldly by Maddison Firth (Chandler), Merryl Ansah (Duke), and Lizzy Parker (McNamara). Liam Doyle and Rory Phelan as Kurt and Ram give stand out performances and have a fantastically humourous chemistry with one another. As Martha Dunnstock, Mhairi Angus is heartwarming and vocally outstanding, providing a real starring moment and some calm in an otherwise crazy show.
Overall Heathers is a musical which clearly delights audiences and is top-notch for a modern musical. It ticks the boxes of humour, angst, drama and generally being over the top and is well worth visiting as it tours the country.
photo credit: Pamela Raith
Thursday, 13 September 2018
Heathers, Theatre Royal Haymarket | Review
Heathers
Theatre Royal Haymarket
Reviewed on Monday 10th September 2018 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
Every so often a show comes around which receives an exceptional amount of hype and has the West End buzzing. Heathers is currently that show and the good news is that it truly lives up to it. Based on the 1989 film starring Winona Ryder, this musical adaptation is full of energy and humour as it balances the line between political correctness and incorrectness. We find ourselves drawn towards the darkness but also cringing at the atrocities that go on.
Laurence O'Keefe had huge success with his adaptation of Legally Blonde and has applied his winning formula once again to bring this show to life with a camp, sassy and at times melancholic score. The plot follows Veronica Sawyer, a girl who is 'different' to the others at her school and longs for unity between all cliques and social standings. However, in order to make it through High School, she befriends the rulers of the school, the "lipstick gustapo" made up of three girls named Heather. Our protagonist then meets a brooding new boy, Jason J.D Dean who turns out to be a kill happy psychopath. From there on there are deaths, parties, funerals and a whole lot of destruction.
When the movie came out in 1989 it became an instant hit and then received a cultish following when it opened off-Broadway in 2014. The show's transition to the West End has been no different as teens and young adults flood to the theatre with scrunchies in hair and pleated skirts on to see this wildly fun but disturbing musical brought to life.
The entire cast bring this show to life with vivacious passion and immense talent. Leading the gang, Carrie Hope Fletcher is a powerhouse as she battles between what's right and wrong and what she wants to do to boost her social standing/love life. Carrie steps on stage to well deserved cheers and blows the roof of with her entire performance, especially her new song 'I Say No' which gives her a backbone and the rough 'Dead Girl Walking Reprise'. Veronica's moments of strength are certainly where Carrie shines but she is also humourous and likeable as she swoons over JD.
Under Andy Fickman's direction, Jamie Muscato plays the mysteriously murderous JD with an intensity that you can't help but be drawn to. Whilst it's not wise to partner up with a murderer, we all love a bad boy and the combination of JD's smooth talking and Jamie's perfectly rough voice make us feel for him a little bit, even though he becomes a monster before our eyes. Muscato's frenetic energy in 'Meant To Be Yours' is certainly a theatrical highlight of the year.
The three Heathers waltz around the stage as one but have quirky personality traits which are owned and embodied by each. As leader of the pack, Heather Chandler who "floats above it all", Jodie Steele is brilliant. Her permanent scowl, sharp movements, sublime vocals and stellar comedic timing make her perfect for the role. Sophie Isaacs brings an innocence to Heather McNamara which is interesting to play out. Whilst she is part of the mean girl group, it's clear from the outset that she is merely following the pack and wishes to break away. Isaacs' rendition of Lifeboat is a pin-drop silence moment which stands out in the show. As the final Heather, Duke, T'Shan Williams is feisty and aggressive, with her solo Never Shut Up Again earning her laughs and cheers from the audience.
Stand outs of the cast also include Jenny O'Leary who gives a moving performance of Kindergarten Boyfriend, Rebecca Lock who brings the entire theatre to life with her fiery, belt-tastic Shine a Light and Christopher Chung and Dominic Andersen who are humour embodied as the jocks who combine to create Kram. Ensemble members Lauren Drew and Olivia Moore also catch the eye throughout.
Gary Lloyd's choreography is especially effective with the Heathers, namely during the iconic Candy Store which sees them sashaying round the stage but in true Heathers style, being in complete control the entire time and never stepping out of sync with one another.
Mention must go to Ben Cracknell's lighting, which like the music, intensifies every emotion on stage. Particularly effective are the varying tones of light between the characters. The Heathers are of course lit in their iconic colours (brought to life vibrantly through David Shields' costumes) but whats most striking are the moments when Veronica is lit in warm spotlights whilst JD is basked in stark, almost grey tones. This highlights the contrast between the true evil and the kind-of-forced-into-evil in a clever way.
Most of the subject matter of this show is uncomfortable but sadly ever present: bullying, suicide, murder, depression. Heathers does a good job of satirising the sensationalism of them and shines a light (pun intended) on the fact that unity and kindness are always the way forward.
Whilst this isn't a light hearted show in content, the songs are crazily catchy, the talent level is ridiculously high and it's just a really good night out. For Big Fun, get down to the Theatre Royal Haymarket!
Heathers runs at the Theatre Royal Haymarket until 24th November
photo credit: Pamela Raith
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