"Heathers The Musical"

Book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O'Keefe.
Nottingham Theatre Royal.

Like the film, the musical follows teenage misfit Veronica Sawyer as she struggles to find her place in the stiff hierarchy at Ohio's Westerberg High - Home of the Rottweilers. The school is ruled with an iron fist by a trio of popular girls, known as the Heathers. Veronica infiltrates the Heathers' inner sanctum and becomes their "friend" to make her own life easier. Things take a dark turn though when she meets a boy named JD, who reignites her hatred for the croquet mallet-carrying clique, but he takes plans for revenge to murderous levels.

This show has almost hit cult status via the 1989 film, written by Daniel Waters, and that shows by the amount of people who came out to see this show on Tuesday night, as well as the queues for the show's merchandise. As with "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" there were also a number of women, and men, who came dressed as a Heather, complete with red, blue, green or yellow blazers and skirts to match; and that did include at least one male! there's obviously something about dark comedy in theatre that is incredibly attractive to an audience.

Veronica Sawyers is played by Gerardine Sacdalan. First off, let me say what a voice Geraldine has. She is a real soul singer, and she isn't the only one in this cast. Brilliant energy and delivery of some lovely comic lines. Neither of these talents are new to me with Geraldine as I can remember just how wonderful she was when she last came to Nottingham playing Juliet in "& Juliet". I commented then on her powerful voice and her comic ability.

Jason "J.D." Dean is played by Louis Searson. Bringing to Westerburg a wonderful mysterious and mystical presence, his demonic character grows throughout the show. I half expected his eyes to glow red and levitate above the stage. Louis brings intrigue, cool and sex to the stage, as well as a great voice for modern musical theatre.

The trio of Heathers, Chandler, Duke and Macnamara, are played by Liberty Stotter, who completely owns the stage and obviously relishes her bitchy status, Jessica Ibadin and Lou Henry respectively. Heather Duke and Heather Macnamara both in utter admiration of Heather Chandler's Queen Bitch role model. Both also wanting to take over the position, but wallowing in the shadow of Chandler. The trio of Heathers received applause even before they said or sung a word, showing the status these three characters have established from day one.

Sophie Manners plays Martha "Dumptruck" Dunstock, the "invisible" girl, until she lets rip with her powerful vocals on "Kindergarten Boyfriend", a song with darker undertones than first expected.

Marcus Sodergren as Kurt Kelly and Beau Jackson as Ram Sweeney, the two typical High School jocks. They create loads of comedy moments, not least when comparing their underwear at quite a crucial part of the musical. From this point, there are no costume changes for this pair, much to the delight of many audience members!

I'm not going to give anything away for anyone who has not seen this musical, and are coming to see it this week, but what happens at the end of the first act, creates an excellent opening to the second act, featuring Kurt and Ram's Dads, again extracting an amazing response from the opening night audience. Love their ties as well, costumes definitely to be worn with Pride!

Ms Fleming, as well as Veronica's mother, is played by Veronica Carabai, oh and what a character, and oh what a voice! As the Westerberg High School counsellor, she has her own little musical section, also utilising an audience member - I'll say no more about that. But the "Shine A Light" section was hilarious, and I loved the jackets worn by the students in this bit.

Reuben Browne as Kurt’s Dad/Veronica's Dad/Principal Rowan, John Gurdian as Ram’s Dad/Big Bud Dean/Coach Ripper, Thomas Oxley as Beleaguered Geek, Charlotte O'Rourke as Midwestern Surfer Punk, Ellouise Delooze as New Wave Party Girl, Tola Sokoya as Young Republicanette, Alexander Howarth as Hipster Dork/Officer, Caitlin Garcia as Drama Club Drama Queen, Carys Taylor as Stoner Chick and Christian De Gallerie as Preppy Stud/Officer.

Directed by Andy Fickman. It was great fun, it was dark, it had childish humour and it was sexy as well.

Choreographed by Gary Lloyd. This is one energetic show, and it's the choreography that provides much of that energy. It's also performed with amazingly sharp timing as well. Gary is also Co-Director.

David Shields' Set design is just perfect; the walls of the High School overshadow any prop changes that create the other settings, and with just subtle changes of lighting, get you to focus on the scene in hand, the scenes being enveloped by the walls of the set, rapidly moved and removed by the cast members.

Musical Supervisor is Will Joy, and he has quite the apt name, as the music was pure joy. The songs for "Heathers" include many catchy earworms, especially "Dead Girl Walking", "Candy Store", "Seventeen" and "I Say No", not forgetting the creepy duet "Our Love Is God" by Louis and Geraldine. Tender, but with that dark undertone never far from the surface, as if sung by a cult leader to his disciple, all the while enticing his victim into his own personal dark web.

Sound Design was by Dan Samson and the Lighting Design is by Ben Cracknell. What I loved about the lighting was that all three Heathers have a specific colour code for their clothing, and these were matched by the lighting spots for the trio, bathing them in their own soft spotlight, highlighting them and creating their own personal glow. The whole show is awash with colour, defying the darkness that the theme delivers. Take a look at the photographs below which show the fan "frickin" tastic lighting designs.

The sound was loud - but I love loud when it needs to be, and this show needed a big sound, and we certainly got that. At the start I thought that the volume may have been just a touch too loud, but then my ears started to acclimatise to the mix and from then on, the sound mix became as dramatic as the story.

"Heathers" has a feel of "Grease" but with menace. It had an operatic air in parts but with rap and an obvious musical theatre feel about many of the songs. What I am trying to say is that there is something musically for just about everyone in this show. There are uncomfortable comedy elements, as you'd find in "Book Of Mormon", and there are many childish comedy elements that teenagers will understand, as well as those teenagers who have grown up but still appreciate childish humour.

If you've seen the show before, see it again. If you've not seen the show, then you really need to treat yourself and come down to see this show. I guarantee that you'll enjoy it immensely, especially if you enjoy a darker edge to your theatrical experience! 

"Heathers" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 12 September.

Photography by Pamela Raith.