Darlington Hippodrome – until 7th October 2023
Reviewed by Alexandra Sykes
4****
Any show that starts with an announcement about phones not being invented yet is sure to be a good one. Set in 1989, Heathers tells of high school drama with love, friendships and murder thrown in for good measure.
Based on the film of the same name, the musical follows Veronica (Jenna Innes) as she goes from a nobody to a somebody thanks to getting the Heathers (Lizzie Emery, Elise Zavou and Billie Bowman) out of trouble with teacher Ms Fleming (Katie Paine). The Heathers take Veronica under their wing, give her a makeover and invite her to parties, however she has to earn her stay by forging notes in her classmates handwriting to embarrass others. After befriending the mysterious JD (Jacob Fowler), Veronica’s life goes from bad to worse when she accidentally kills Heather Chandler and football players Kurt and Ram (Alex Woodward and Morgan Jackson). Realising that JD is part of the problem, not the solution, Veronica ends the relationship and after JD sacrifices himself to save Veronica, she ends the feud between different groups at the school and remains friends with the two remaining Heathers, as well as making up with Martha (Kingsley Morton) who she helped the Heathers to bully despite being friends previously.
With catchy songs throughout, the musical caters to its audience well and will have people singing along. The costumes are era appropriate and the Heathers signature colours of red, green and yellow are shown in their outfits, along with Veronica’s signature blue outfit and JDs trench coat. The sets are basic but work, with scenes set in the high school, various characters’ bedrooms and the local convenience store all used to their full potential.
Even if you haven’t seen the film, this musical is well worth a visit for anyone looking for a good night out and will guarantee you have plenty of laughs along the way.