Heathers

A killer five-star production.

Heathers the Musical arrives in London for a summer season before heading out on tour, taking up residence in a lovely new theatre which, importantly during the warmer months, has excellent air conditioning.

Based on the cult film of the same name, the show follows Veronica Sawyer as she joins the most popular clique at Westerberg High: the three Heathers. As she finds herself falling in love with the mysterious new boy, J.D., Veronica must contend with popularity, peer pressure and the increasingly dangerous consequences of trying to survive high school.

The musical is something of a paradox. It has built up an enthusiastic younger following, many of whom arrive dressed as their favourite Heather or as Veronica. The cosplay adds plenty of colour and excitement to the audience, but the themes of the show are certainly not child-friendly. There is a somewhat raunchy sex scene, attempted suicide, murder, sexual violence and probably a few other things I have missed off. It may be set in a high school, but this is definitely not a children’s show.

That said, this was a great production and an easy five stars from me. Gerardine Sacdalan is outstanding as Veronica, bringing an amazing voice to the role and really stealing the show. Her performance also captures the heightened energy of today’s youth, with over-the-top swooning, exaggerated gestures and expressive reactions giving her Veronica a fresh, playful edge. Veronica has to carry much of the story’s emotional weight while also delivering some of its biggest musical moments, and Sacdalan rises to the challenge brilliantly. Her vocals are powerful, controlled and full of emotion, making her a hugely engaging performer to watch.

Louis Hearsey makes a suitably dark and charismatic J.D. The relationship between Veronica and J.D. needs to shift from an exciting teenage romance into something much more dangerous, and the production handles that change seamlessly.

Usually, the Heathers arrive as an immediate powerhouse, with an incredibly sharp and venomous edge. Liberty Stottor as Heather Chandler, Jessica Ibadin as Heather Duke and Lou Henry as Heather McNamara look the part and work well together, although on this occasion I felt that the trio lacked a little of the bite I would normally expect. They were still enjoyable, but their entrances and exchanges could perhaps have landed with even more force.

I have always thought of Heathers as being somewhat timeless, despite the brighter colours and hints of earlier fashion running through the show. In this production, however, Heather McNamara’s large blonde wig gives the character a very definite 1980s feel. It is a bold visual choice which places the production more firmly within the period of the original film.

There is a particularly effective moment when Heather Duke takes over the red scrunchie and effectively becomes the new “red Heather”. Choreographically, the transformation is brilliantly handled, with a slick quick-change sequence altering her colours. Unfortunately, the microphone levels seemed a little off during this number. This slightly capped the performance when it could have been one of the production’s biggest hitters.

The two jocks, Kurt and Ram, played by Markus Sodergren and Beau Jackson, are hilarious. Their synchronised movements and matching mannerisms had everyone laughing. Even when the characters become the villains of the moment, boasting about their supposed sexual conquests and sword fights, the actors’ comic timing remains excellent. They throw themselves into the physical comedy and show just how strong they are as a double act.

The show is packed with brilliant songs, and Gary Lloyd’s choreography is top-notch throughout. The ensemble brings enormous energy to the bigger numbers, filling the stage and helping the production maintain its full-on pace. There is very little time to catch your breath as the story charges from one memorable song to another.

As this is a production built to tour, a few of the set pieces appeared a little shaky, although never to the point where you would question their safety. There were also a couple of noticeable blackouts, transitions and cast crossovers. These moments briefly interrupted the otherwise slick flow, but they did little to take away from the overall enjoyment of the evening.

With fantastic songs, energetic choreography, plenty of dark humour and a truly excellent central performance from Gerardine Sacdalan, this production delivers everything fans of Heathers are likely to want. The Demon Queen of High School has decreed it: this is a five-star show.

*****

Photo crdit: Info Holland (EHPR)