Heathers the Musical Archives - North West End UK

3Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Heathers The Musical – Sheffield Lyceum

Heathers: The Musical offers a darkly comic take on American high school culture, that whilst not asking to be taken too seriously successfully manages to dismantle the nihilistic allure of teenage angst with bopping, in-your-face musical numbers. Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe’s musical adaption of the 1989 film by Daniel Waters has impressed audiences initially in the mid to late 2010’s. This production demonstrates it has no signs of growing stale. Set in the misery-inspired yet typically relatable school of Westerberg, the plot follows new girl Veronica as she navigates numbskull jocks and the notorious ‘Heathers’ - three girls of the same name who offer very little in individuality but plenty in toxic reputation management. On her journey, Veronica runs into the mysterious JD, a...

18Sep

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

Heathers The Musical – Storyhouse

Based on the 1988 movie, Heathers the Musical has come exploding in to the Storyhouse, taking us on a journey of high school dramas, with stories of love, popularity, bullying and eventually coming together. Following the diary entries of Veronica Sawyer (Jenna Innes), we are taken through the trials and tribulations of the teens at Westerburg high. Veronica is just trying to get by and ends up forming a boon with the Heathers, the most popular girls at the school and who everyone either looks up to or is afraid of. Along the way we meet meek and mild Martha, Veronica’s best friend since diapers, Kurt and Ram, the high school jocks who think they own the school along with the Heathers. JD, the new dark, mysterious guy who Veronica falls in love with but soon realises that he has many is...

27Sep

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Heathers The Musical – Hull New Theatre

Thank goodness my years at the Newton Hall Grammar Technical High School, in Hull, weren’t as angst-ridden and dangerous as those “enjoyed” by the pupils of Westerberg High School, in Ohio, US. When the energetic cast of Heathers The Musical took to the Hull New Theatre stage on Tuesday evening, their actions shed light on the likes of bulimia, latent homosexuality, suicide, bullying and murder. Phew! There was never a dull moment, making my schooldays seem dull and boring. I was new to Heathers, but a large chunk of the audience whooped and hollered loudly on many occasions throughout - showing, not only their appreciation, but also their knowledge of the storyline. I admired their enthusiasm, but, sadly, couldn’t join in as (and I’m sure I was in the minority here, judging by...

Heathers the Musical – Blackpool Opera House

13Sep

By Coral MourantNo Comments

North West

Heathers the Musical – Blackpool Opera House

Teenagers wearing blazers, scrunchies and trench coats fill the Blackpool Opera House, and there’s no mistaking which show is hitting the town. Andy Fickman’s West End hit may have only closed at the Other Palace this month, but its national tour production is still slaying audiences all around the country. September 1989, Westurberg High. The jocks bully the nerds, the cool girls all have the same name and Veronica just wants to get by until college. Based on the cult-classic movie, Heathers is the classic high school survival story, but with a killer twist. Jenna Innes (Les Misérables) is gorgeously captivating as protagonist, Veronica. You can’t help but route for her as she stumbles through high school drama, boy troubles, and the added complications of accidental murder. Innes h...

Heathers The Musical – Palace Theatre, Manchester

9Aug

By Emma WildNo Comments

North West

Heathers The Musical – Palace Theatre, Manchester

Teenage years – the best years of your life? Not for those attending Westerberg High School in Heathers The Musical! This is no saccharine sweet teenage musical; Heathers addresses hard-hitting themes including murder, suicide, date rape and bulimia. Is this a gloom – fest? Certainly not! Heathers is a life lesson, a gloriously darkly comic look at the teenage quest for popularity and acceptance. Opening night at the exquisite Palace Theatre and it is clear to see from the scrunchies and tartan in the audience that Heathers has a devoted following. Based on the eponymous 1988 cult film, starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, Heathers The Musical moved Off-Broadway in 2014. After an Off-West End run Heathers transferred to the West End in 2018. In 2019, Heathers The Musical won the ...

Heathers The Musical – Bradford Alhambra

19Jul

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Heathers The Musical – Bradford Alhambra

Many musicals flirt with darkness before another tune about empowerment and the power of love comes along to take the edge off, but not so Heathers The Musical which offers a relentless diet of serial killing, bullying, eating disorders, homophobia and date rape. It’s based on the deliciously dark eighties movie Heathers which was a welcome antidote to the saccharine John Hughes films who mistook teens for young adults. Here the teens are feral locked in the cliquey hell that is a typically hieratical US high school as the cool gangs, jocks and nerds try to survive into college. Our (anti) hero at Westerburg High School is geeky Veronica Sawyer who accidentally falls in with the bitchy cool gang trio all named Heather, who delight in making everyone’s life a misery to mask their own ...

5Jul

By Andrew LeeNo Comments

North West

Heathers the Musical – Liverpool Empire

If you have never seen the movie of Heathers, it’s unlikely this musical will be what you are expecting. Heathers is a unique musical, both musically and narratively speaking. Veronica Sawyer finds herself finally as a somebody, joining the popular clique of the three Heathers, before deciding it is time to get her old self back and get away from the Heathers. The plot that ensues is dark, funny, and emotionally charged in equal measure. The music for the show is unique, rooted in pop and modern musical theatre singing. There is so much syncopation in the ensemble singing that it is truly jarring, which is befitting of the constant feeling that something is not quite right. The musical numbers are many, and each is as good as the last, it is impossible to mention them all, but the perfo...

Heathers The Musical – The Alexandra, Birmingham

18May

By Robert BartleyNo Comments

West Midlands

Heathers The Musical – The Alexandra, Birmingham

‘Heathers’ has become widely known as a “teen” show, but anyone expecting the light frothiness of ‘High School Musical’ or ‘Glee’ will be surprised by the show’s much darker tone and razor-sharp bite, with themes of suicide, depression, attempted rape and drug use, not to mention murder. A scathing black comedy with a rock-infused edgy-pop score, the show brings the 1989 film to the stage and gives an exaggerated look at just how hellish teenaged life can be. The show became an off-Broadway hit in 2014 before gaining a huge cult following in the UK in 2018 and is currently seeing great word of mouth on its UK tour, playing the Alexandra Birmingham this week. Veronica Sawyer (played by Jenna Innes) can’t wait for college and struggles to fit in to the social hierarchy of West...

Heathers the Musical – Regent Theatre, Stoke

12Apr

By Leanne RushtonNo Comments

North West

Heathers the Musical – Regent Theatre, Stoke

Heathers the musical based on the cult classic film of the same name has hit Stoke-on-Trent. The show which has played packed out audiences in London is now touring the UK. The Regent Theatre is an extremely accommodating theatre for this even handing out iconic scrunchies to those of us lucky enough to review. The audience was packed out with a variety of ages, but a huge margin of the audience went to teens. It was so lovely to watch to see that shows like Heathers are keeping the audience engaged in the theatre. There were murmurs before the show of people excited to see the cult film brought to life. What can I say, brought to life it was. The show was mesmerising you couldn't take your eye off any of the action taking place on the stage. Everywhere you looked the ensemble was br...

Time For a New Semester – Cast Announced For Heathers UK and Ireland Tour

7Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Time For a New Semester – Cast Announced For Heathers UK and Ireland Tour

Following its multiple West End runs, and continuing success at its home – The Other Palace, Heathers the Musical will embark on its highly anticipated UK and Ireland tour from 14th February 2023. Heathers the Musical will open in Windsor and visit cities throughout the UK and Ireland, including Liverpool, Nottingham, York, Birmingham, Norwich, Manchester, Dublin, Brighton, Bath, Leicester, Clywd, Cardiff and Glasgow. Full dates and venues can be found at www.heathersthemusical.com Making it beautiful in blue, Jenna Innes (Les Misérables) takes on the role of angst-ridden teen, Veronica Sawyer, and returning to the role of Jason 'J.D' Dean is Jacob Fowler (Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella). The Westerberg tour class of 2023 is completed by Verity Thompson (Cinderella) as Heath...