Review: HEATHERS, Theatre Royal Brighton

Heathers the Musical is touring the UK after a successful premiere at The Other Palace in 2018, which was followed by several revivals, all of which have contributed to its cult status as a musical in its own right, not just the 1988 movie on which it is based.

Having seen the show at the Theatre Royal Haymarket I was interested to see how it translated to a touring production and I can confidently say that it's as deeply disturbing as we've come to expect, with beautifully accomplished execution.

Heathers tells the story of Veronica Sawyer - a well behaved seventeen year old who longs to be accepted by her classmates. She makes the misguided decision to team up with 'The Heathers' - think the Mean Girls of the 80's - in a desperate bid to get through high school unscathed. But unfortunately, a combination of their influence and a chance encounter with a troubled teen J.D. leads her down a very dark path that will change her life, and the lives of those around her, forever.

Sadly, the top of the show fell foul of some unfortunate sound issues that meant Jenna Innes (Veronica Sawyer) was drowned out by the ensemble and orchestra during the first couple of numbers. The sound levels felt unbalanced and the orchestration was very bassy so even Innes powerful vocals couldn't overcome this problem.

Innes has the kind of delectable tone to her voice that is a magical combination of silky smooth and overwhelmingly powerful. Her chemistry with Jacob Fowler as J.D. feels authentic, and that's almost no surprise as this isn't Fowler's first rodeo with this role, having played it at The Other Palace. His presence on stage is remarkable, which is not only a reflection of how comfortable he clearly is in this role, but his skill as an actor to make such a flawed person, so oddly likeable. From his vocals to his physicality, Fowler owns this role - it's his tortured world and we're just living in it.

Narratively, Act 1 could do with more exposition regarding J.D.'s background - we get several scenes with his father throughout the course of the show which gives us a glimpse into why he is the way he is, but I'd love to have seen that explored more deeply. Conversley, the solo by the bullies and beleaguered Martha Dunnstock feels unnecessary and whilst Kingsley Morton executes it beautifully, it feels out of place.

It's fantastic to see so many recent graduates on stage, including but not limited to the imfamous Heathers. Verity Thompson is a suitably abhorrent Heather Chandler, and most enjoyable to watch when she harnesses her excellent comic timing in the second act. Similarly, Elise Zavou as Heather Duke excels in Act 2 when she takes on a more prominent role in the Heathers hierarchy and Billie Bowman delivers a beautiful rendition of "Lifeboat".

Kevin Murphy and Laurence O'Keefe appear to have created the seemingly unachievable - a show that appeals to the purist fans of the original movie, as well as cultivating a cult of new adopters...and you can firmly consider me one of them.

Heathers the Musical is running at the Theatre Royal Brighton until Saturday 18 March, touring the UK until October 7.

Photo credit: Pamela Raith

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