Heathers The Musical Review, New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Tuesday 7th March 2023
Inspired by the 1989 Winona Ryder and Christian Slater film of the same name; Heathers The Musical has taken the world by storm. With a strong and dedicated social media following, a Riverdale-centric episode, an extremely talented group of alumni and a pro-shot it feels like you cannot escape the juggernaut that is Heathers The Musical. Now, with a UK Tour, what did I make of the show when it came to the New Victoria Theatre in Woking?
The songs have gone viral for a reason; they are incredibly catchy and very memorable. This might be one the hardest shows to date for Drew and I when it comes to choosing our favourite, as each one stands and delivers. From the absolute ear worm that is “Candy Store”, to the incredibly powerful and moving “Kindergarten Boyfriend” all the way to the sinister yet enthralling “Meant To Be Yours”, you will leave the theatre fully immersed in a passionate debate about what song ruled the night. Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe deserve all the praise for some excellent lyrics and wonderful orchestration that really gives this show its oomph. Partnered with Ben Cracknell’s exquisite lighting design and Gary Lloyd’s entrancing choreography; the show knows how important the songs are and really does highlight them – the end of “Candy Store” especially leaves you in awe.
Likewise; we will be struggling to decide on who our MVP of the show is. With a relatively young cast filled with recent graduates from a range of prestigious schools, the characters jump off the stage and fully come to life. The dynamic between Veronica (Jenna Innes) and J.D (Jacob Fowler) is captivating as you watch their relationship rise and fall and rise again. You absolutely feel the connection between the two and you desperately cling to hope that Veronica might just be able to get through to J.D; even though you know the outcome. There is a real energy whenever they come onto the stage and you cannot look away, even as the gravity of the situation becomes more clear. Fowler takes J.D through many different facets and it is such an interesting character study as he goes from mysterious loner to fully fledged psychopath. Likewise as Innes goes from hopeful optimist to broken down by the world, you feel like you have truly been on a journey with these characters that extends beyond the 130 minute run time.
Verity Thompson is responsible for bringing the iconic Heather Chandler to stage and all I can say is… wow! A very recent graduate; graduating from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in 2022, she steps onto the stage with the grace of a seasoned pro. She is impeccably cast as the lead Chandler, and her ‘So Very’ attitude. Her dominance over Heather’s Duke (Elise Zavou) and McNamara (Billie Bowman) is sublime and they own every scene they are part of. Considering they are front and centre of all the promotional material; audiences clearly have high expectations of this trio and audiences at the New Victoria Theatre will not be disappointed. The Heather Army are here in full force; with many audience members cosplaying or donning their colours of their favourite Heather, and whooping with joy after each number or iconic line.
The ensemble cast delight as well and leave a very memorable impression; from jocks Kurt Kelly (Alex Woodward) and Ram Sweeney (Morgan Jackson) to “impassioned” teacher Ms. Fleming, the cast leave everything on the stage for their adoring audiences. You will laugh, you will cheer and you will despise some of them (for all the right reasons of course!) Kingsley Morton (Martha Dunnstock) brings the house down with her rendition of the powerful and poignant “Kindergarten Boyfriend” and provides the show with some real heart when it is most needed.
The show itself is an absolute joy; and I’m really pleased that it does come with a very clear content warning as there are plenty of triggers that might cause distress to an audience. With a very young following, some accompanied by parents and some flying solo, for the uninitiated, the themes of Suicide and Homophobia, alongside jokes about bulimia and rape may not always be a welcome addition and luckily patrons can make sure they are informed about the content before they book their seats. Whilst it is a black comedy – and a very good one at that – it is important to signpost this; and it’s a very positive step forward for theatregoers that helps keep them safe from distress.
Ultimately, the touring production of Heathers The Musical is an absolute joy to behold. As Veronica herself says, "We're all damaged. We're all fragile. We're all freaks, but that's alright." This is an incredibly life affirming musical; especially for a younger audience that can inspire them that the trials and tribulations of High School do in fact get better. You will love every second of this so very special show!
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Download our episode – coming out Monday 13th March for more of our thoughts and to find out who our MVP is; along with more talk on our favourite songs and what roles we would want to play.
It’s A Musical! Podcast is available on a multitude of good podcast providers.
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Heathers The Musical is currently playing at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking until Saturday 11th March 2023. You can follow them on:
Twitter: @WokingTheatre
Instagram: @NewVictoriaTheatreWoking
Twitter and Instagram: @HeathersMusical