Theatre Royal Haymarket – until 12 September 2021
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
4****
Instead of the razor-sharp darkness of the film, Heathers the Musical is an extravaganza of camp and frothy bitchiness. The characters and plot of the film are distilled in this cartoonish creation that doesn’t have much to say but is a fun and frenetic show full of laughs.
The food chain at Westerberg High School has the Heathers as Alpha predators, with Heather Chandler (Jodie Steele) running the show. When Veronica (Christina Bennington) comes on their radar, the Heathers give her a makeover and she joins the powerful clique to survive high school. The arrival of JD (Jordan Luke Gage) and his refusal to conform to the unwritten rules of high school hierarchy sets Veronica on a deadly and explosive path.
Kevin Murphy and Larence O’Keefe’s music and lyrics are energetic and mostly memorable, and the cast are incredible, but if you’re looking for any meaningful insight into teenage suicide and mental health, you won’t find it here. Instead enjoy the ride as Veronica and JD kill off their enemies in murders that will make you laugh rather than squirm.
Director Andy Fickman uses Ben Cracknell’s fantastic lighting design to enhance the stereotyped characters and their world to ridiculously overblown levels that suit the atmosphere of the show brilliantly alongside Gary Lloyd’s dynamic choreography. The performances are all amazing, with Jodie Steele stealing every scene with just a raised eyebrow as she struts around the stage, alive and dead. Christina Bennington and Jordan Luke Gage reignite their amazing chemistry from Bat Out of Hell and are vocally stunning. Bennington gets to showcase her comedy talent and is phenomenal, while Gage impresses in the role of JD, who the writers can’t seem to decide what to do with and end up making JD a much less menacing character than he could be.
Heathers is definitely a marmite show, which some people who love the film will probably want to avoid. But the unashamedly loud and brash production is wonderfully entertaining and a fun-filled night out.