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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

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Thursday, 23 March 2023

Eugenius!, Turbine Theatre | Review

Eugenius!

Turbine Theatre

★★★

After a London Palladium concert and subsequent runs at The Other Palace, the comic book tale of Eugenius! has been on the radar of many theatre lovers, and fans were thrilled to hear of the show's reworked return at the Turbine Theatre. The sweet characters and over the top tale are back like before, but somewhere along the way, the musical has lost some of the sparkle and infectious joy that previously made it such a charming production.

Eugenius! tells the story of Eugene, a self proclaimed geek who creates a comic book and gets thrown into a world of Hollywood movies and space dramas. Alongside him are his best friends Janey and Feris who are all trying to make it through school and retain their identities and friendship. With a number of witty side plots and caricature characters, there's lots to be enjoyed, but compared to previous versions of the show, there's not as much of a wholesome, uplifting vibe.

The small Turbine space which works so well for other shows, feels like a hinderance for Eugenius. There's not enough space for the show to reach its soaring potential and some of the bigger moments are squashed. This is through no fault of Andrew Exeter's set design which effectively brings the comic book world to life, as does Andy Walton's excellent video design which is wonderfully aesthetic and in keeping with the show; but nothing fully takes away from the feeling of the show longing for a larger space. Mention must also go to the really well thought out design of the foyer and entrance to the theatre which is adorned in every space with Tough Man posters, as well as comic book memorabilia and neon lights, all of which help to create an immersive experience and are a treat to explore.

Cast wise, the production is bursting with talent. Elliot Evans is endearing as Eugene, and brings a really lovely sense of vulnerability to the role whilst also providing stunning vocals, which especially soar in act two. As his partner in crime (who feels firmly in the friend zone) Jaina Brock-Patel gives a humourous performance and really leans into the comedy which is fun to watch. Equally humourous is James Hameed as Feris who is a funny character for the most part, but sometimes a bit one dimensional. The trio are strong and there are some touching moments. Their chemistry isn't bursting off the stage but they certainly do a good job and really come into their own towards the end of the show.

Dominic Andersen is fabulous in all his roles, especially as the movie star Gerhard who has some of the most laugh out loud moments in the show. As Super Hot Lady, Maddison Firth is great and her solo number is very high octane, although it's somewhat overpowered by so much happening on stage, so she doesn't truly get a chance to shine. There are also some sound issues which plague the show and mean a fair bit of dialogue is lost. The show as a whole is loud, perhaps too much so at points, but the vocals are often too quiet so we miss the talent of the cast.

The 80s-esque music that has references to lots of iconic songs, is really wonderful and you can't help but bop along to the self-aware, hilariously literal tunes. Ben Adams and Chris Wilkins have written some incredibly catchy pieces that continue to shine in this rendition of the show. They also have some sneaky cameos on bedroom posters and music videos which are a nice touch.

It's definitely nostalgic and energetic but this isn't the best Eugenius! has been. There are some great moments but the musical never evokes the same feelings of feel good empowerment and unity that it did previously. Hopefully there will be future iterations of the show where are the stars can align to create the ultimate version.

Reviewed on Wednesday 22nd March 2023

photo credit: Pamela Raith

{AD PR Invite- tickets gifted in exchange for honest review}

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