Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And yesterday I went to go and see the Heathers the Musical UK Tour at The Curve- and basically, I've decided, the only way for me to truly purge everything I experienced, is to write a review about it (and to listen to it on repeat in my car but mainly this).
I hope you enjoy it.
Now, before I start, I'm just going to state a little disclaimer. This is not a professional review, this is me just attempting to put my thoughts in some kind of order. So, I'll just start and see how it goes:
Of course, there is no other place I want to start, but with the leading lady: Jenna Innes (like in Guinness).
She was the constant throughout the show, we follow her as she becomes part of the legendary Heathers' clique: Heather Macnamera: head cheerleader; Heather Duke, no discernible personality, has implants; and Heather Chandler, mythic bitch. After throwing up on Heather's shoes we watch Veronica make some questionable decisions that send us on a whilewind the audience does not expect.
Frankly, it takes a lot to be Veronica in Heathers. Vocally especially, but also, she very rarely leaves the stage, meaning you need someone special to be able to handle her. But honestly, you wouldn't think they'd done 200 shows and still sound the way she did. Powerful belting, no straining, and also somehow clear. Made the role her own, but was everything I was expecting Veronica to be. When I say she made it her own, what I mean is, I'm still thinking about her performance, the way she delivered certain lines- over 24 hours later.
Up next- Kingsley Morton. Plays the best friend of Veronica, Martha Dunnstock. A side character that crops up every so often, but is never really the centre of the story. Until her solo "Kindergarten Boyfriend"- the song that really makes people sit up and take notice of her. And what a performance. Such clarity in Kingsley's vocal, such innocence. The way she performs this solo makes me want to get up onto the stage and hug her. When I'm listening to the UK album in my car, I always tend to overlook this song over "Shine A Light" or "I Say No" but this was one of my favourites live. You could hear every syllable when Kingsley Morton was singing this. A standout song for me. So beautiful.
Now, on a different note: in terms of comedic timing, Alex Woodward (Kurt Kelly), Morgan Jackson (Ram Sweeney) and Katie Payne (Ms Fleming/ Veronica's Mom) were amazing. Alex and Morgan were full of energy, the chemistry between those two was off the charts. They were the assholes you hate to love.
And then there's Katie Payne, who played Ms Fleming/ Veronica's mom. what a performance with shine a light. Didn't matter that her rendition was a little different- she performed the hell out of it. It takes a heck of a lot of confidence to flirt with a man in the audience but she pulled it off. Also probably had the quickest quick change in the history of the world towards the end, so props for that.
Up next, Billie Bowman, who played Heather Macnamera. Bowman's lifeboat was heartbreaking. My heart was crying for Macnamera because out of all of the shit that takes place in Heathers- she was the one that was suffering the most throughout. I mean, they all are in their way, and of course Veronica goes a bit round the bend mentally with her hand in it all, but at least she knows what's going on. All Mcnamara knows is that her best friend and boyfriend aren't here anymore. Honestly, Bowman's "Lifeboat" and Morton's "Kindergarten Boyfriend" are the most emotional I've felt watching a piece of theatre since the "Rent" UK tour a few years previously.
Jacob Fowler- having read the programme before the show and finding out that he played JD at The Other Palace, I knew I was in for a treat. Voice of an angel, and no I'm not exaggerating. His gorgeous voice, coupled with the disturbing personality of JD made for an amazing performance. If I close my face for a second I can see his meloncholy expression- it gives me chills.
And finally, I can't post this without mentioning the groundbreaking Heather Chandler- Verity Thompson. Commands attention as soon as she walkes on stage- which is exactly what Heather Chandler does. I would go as far to say that Verity Thompson IS Heather Chandler. The main antagonist at the start, you can feel the audience turn on her almost instantly. Even when she isn't the main antagonist anymore, she never loses that grace, sophistication or presence of Heather Chandler.
I will also mention that, even though this isn't a dance heavy show, (it's not that type of show), they still manage to have some phenomenal cast choreography in there. It all looked extremely polished and together- My Dead Gay Son was an absolute banger- even though you could tell they weren't all dancers. Every movement was precise and energetic. Choreography- nailed.
Also, for those wondering how much the musical version will co-exist against the iconic film of the 80s, the answer is very much. It is very much the same dark humour, the same storyline, to a tea, same characters, you just get to know more about them with these AMAZING SOLOS- I'd argue at least.
You can see the musical, even if you've never seen the film in your life- in truth, I watched the film, so I could have a comparison to the musical- I became excited about the musical way before I started getting interested in the film.
You can also see it if you've watched the film a million times- but the musical is just a separate beast.
Overall, Heathers in itself is a hard show. Everybody dances at least once, none of the songs are easy, and of course there's the difficult subject matter. Not to mention there are only 12 cast members, so you really have to be high energy constantly with a show like this. But honestly, it was absolutely seamless. High energy all the way through, no hint of anything but pure exhilaration. I love this cast, I love this musical, I would 100% go and see it again if given the chance.
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