Heathers 🥤

#PRInvite #Gifted | Making things Beautiful down at His Majesty’s Theatre this week are the cast and crew of Heathers the Musical, finally arriving in Aberdeen after lots of anticipation for tour dates here. The hair raising show will have you considering your damage if you miss out on your chance to visit Westerberg High.

Star rating: ★★★★★

September 24th, 2024… Dear Diary - it’s time for Big Fun as Heathers The Musical has arrived in Aberdeen! The show, first staged in New York, has been rebuilt for British audiences in London - where it has been produced regularly since 2018 to critical acclaim. The musical originally closed without much success across the Atlantic in its Off-Broadway venue, but thanks to the rise of social media and bootlegs (affectionately known now as slime tutorials), the show’s popularity grew after the production had already ended. The newfound demand for Heathers stands on the shoulders of its online presence, so much so, it has sparked sold out runs in London’s West End and UK Tours - with plans recently unveiled for a New York revival in 2025. But now, the Heathers have descended on Aberdeen audiences this week, so for the meantime, I’d avoid playing croquet.

Based on the 1988 cult-classic film by David Shields starring Winona Ryder, Heathers The Musical is centred around Veronica Sawyer - an outcast at Westerberg High. She dreams of being like the three Heathers: Heather Duke, Heather McNamara and Heather Chandler - the almighty, mythic bitch. Each Heather is separated by their stark coloured uniforms, later welcoming Veronica to their popular girl tribe. Veronica meets Jason Dean (J.D.), a peculiar high school transfer who arrives with a traumatic past and dangerous ideals. Veronica and J.D. together become Westerberg’s answer to Bonnie and Clyde and the show explores the desperate lengths a schoolgirl may go to for a smoother high school experience. Soon enough, Veronica must save the school from a deadly disaster at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. In short, the story is corn nuts - like Mean Girls on steroids, and people die… how very.

The musical’s book, music and lyrics are penned by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe - the pair well known for their work on the Legally Blonde stage adaptation. The score features musical numbers such as ‘Freeze Your Brain, ‘Dead Girl Walking’ and ‘Seventeen’ - songs you may recognise if you are on the same side of TikTok as I am. There are a wide range of tones within the musical: from songs with a strong beat and rock edge, to some more traditional musical theatre styles too. New to the British productions are ‘You’re Welcome’, ‘Never Shut Up Again’ and ‘I Say No’ - all welcomed additions to the score which really enhance the characterisation of Heather Duke and Veronica especially. I would go as far as saying the latter two songs are two of the best in the show. The band, made up of 6 musicians, were balanced well and contained new orchestrations from O’Keefe and Ben Green. Though, this is not a book for the faint hearted as the show is rated for ages 14+, and comes with trigger warnings related to bullying, murder, suicide, physical and sexual violence and references to eating disorders. Despite these mature themes, there is a heavy reliance on comedy throughout, which is a necessary prevention from the show getting too dark. 

Director Andy Fickman has got the staging just right. Alongside Associate Director and Choreographer Gary Lloyd and Designer Gary Lloyd, the set design is static throughout but seamlessly filled with trucks to enhance each scene - which are handled by the cast. Though the set is very simple at its core, it is extremely clever, and is complimented well with lighting design by Ben Cracknell. The stage is never busy, with a limited number of ensemble members, but the placement of both people and scenery make the show visually appealing all the way through. What I loved most about the show is watching each performer on stage - all with their own unique character arc and story which added a lot of depth to the story. This was so brilliant that I sometimes found myself distracted watching them, and laughing at some small background moments, forgetting to pay attention to the main action unfolding on the stage. It felt like, for the first time since I’ve seen the show, each cast member truly understood how to deliver and react to each line, and this had me in stitches when I least expected it. When a show is this rich in storytelling, you are spoiled for choice finding something you’ll enjoy about the production.

Adding to the visual appeal of the show are the costumes, supervised by Robin Lill. Every costume adds a pop of colour and look stunning on stage. A tidbit I love is that each Heather has their own styled blazer jacket, and usually, the styles alternate per actress taking on the role. There is a costume surprise towards the end of the first act, married together with some immersive lighting - and this is really impressive. From jocks, geeks and nerds: all bases of American social classes are covered, and each track in the ensemble represents a different teenage identity. If you remove the murderous plot and the actions of each flawed character, the audience witness a story that rings truer than the school bell. Ultimately, Heathers is a tale about trying to survive in a pressure cooker of popularity and avoiding the wrath of the cruel popular kids - but learning that genuine friendship, individuality and being authentic reigns with more importance. The show also implores the characters to talk about their feelings, whilst a deluded J.D. believes that his evil deeds spark something good with the school becoming more tolerant, accepting and inclusive.

Dawning the blue blazer as Veronica is Jenna Innes, a leading light and vocal powerhouse. Innes was a delight to watch in this role, and knowing that this was her very own ‘homecoming party’ with her first performance in hometown of Aberdeen - it was a very special night. Innes has been a member of local theatre companies whilst growing up, including Aberdeen Youth Music Theatre, Leading Lights and Stagecoach Performing Arts - and it was a real pleasure to see her grace the stage many years on from when we were involved in shows together when I was growing up. Innes’ vocality was outstanding, but I left even more impressed with the acting choices - some really dark themes nuanced with excellent comedic timing, presence and, when needed, delivered with heart. It is safe to say that Innes will be leaving audiences to ‘lick it up’ this week with this effortless portrayal.

Wearing Red is Esme Bowdler as Heather Chandler. Having followed Bowdler’s journey on Mamma Mia: I Have A Dream! earlier this year, she was another performer I was excited to see take on this role. Bowdler was joined by Sedona Sky as Heather Duke and understudy Madeleine Hargrave as Heather McNamara. These girls soared in their depictions; handling the complex harmonies and choreography for numbers such as ‘Candy Store’ with ease. The cast are also joined by May Tether in the ensemble - a real veteran for the production who has been with the show when the London production was filmed (and fun fact: me too!). Balancing out the female leads comes Keelan McAuley as J.D. McAuley’s performance was threatening, but captivating - with some phenomenal vocal material to work with. This cast is a force to be reckoned with, and with calibre like this - I will never shut up again!

…Not to forget the random, unsuspecting, male audience member who made his professional debut as Steve. Colour him stoked!

Perhaps the best thing about the show is its fan base - you will see many young theatregoers out in force this week, dressed in their Heathers costumes - scrunchies intact. I’ve never truly understood the hype around Heathers since its conception in 2014, but last night, I genuinely understood the fixation young audiences have with this show. It is lively, catchy, hilarious and plainly really good fun - ‘Big Fun’ if you will. It will be a hot ticket in Aberdeen this week, with loyal fans like this, but also due to many locals rallying behind Jenna Innes back performing in town. The atmosphere truly is so special, and it was lovely seeing some patrons leave with a teary eye at the end. This was a really easy 5 star.

Credits

Instagram links: @theatregramuk, @aberdeenperformingarts, @heathersmusical

Review by Joel Simpson cc: theatregram@gmail.com

Production photos supplied by Aberdeen Performing Arts