REVIEW: Heathers the Musical at the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham

Cheltenham

‘Heathers the Musical’ explodes onto the stage at the Everyman Theatre this summer, with a beautiful cast and wonderful songs that you definitely don’t want to miss.

Many of you will be familiar with the 1989 film of the same name starring Winona Ryder, or even perhaps the Riverdale renditions of some of the songs, but there really is no substitute for the real musical live on stage. Our main character Veronica Sawyer (played by Jenna Innes) navigates the epic highs and lows of high school crushes, hierarchies, rivalries, and cliques, literally blowing up trivial matters such as who wears a red scrunchie into life-or-death situations.

 

 

As we entered the theatre, the air was abuzz with anticipation and people taking selfies. Many people were cosplaying (dressed up as) the titular Heathers, with many of us wearing scrunchies in our hair or coloured blazers like the characters. There was a real sense of love for the musical even before it started, and the atmosphere of the fanbase coming together was fantastic.

Opening night was an absolute delight. We were in the midst of a sea of Heathers fans vibing to the songs, bursting into raucous applause after each one. My personal favourite songs 'Never Shut Up Again' and 'Meant to be Yours' were bangers performed beautifully by Heather Duke (Elise Zavou) and JD respectively.

Jacob Fowler’s performance as JD was aptly menacing and subtly played, allowing his glowering features to shine like a shark in the spotlight.

 

 

In contrast, Veronica was a quick wit and instantly relatable, and had us laughing with her quirky facial expressions. As you would expect, the Heathers stood out among the performers, earning a burst of applause for their iconic initial entrance. Every character gets their moment to shine, with incredible and hilarious choreography during ‘Shine a Light’ and ‘You’re Welcome’.

Audience members will need to be aware that, just like the movie, this musical is a dark comedy and contains themes around bullying, gun use, suicide, sexual assault, and violence in a school setting, so this musical may not be appropriate for younger viewers. But if you’re a fan of the film, or simply enjoy catchy tunes that you’ll be singing well after you’ve left the theatre, Heathers is certainly not one to miss.

 

Thank you very much to the lovely staff of the Everyman for hosting us again, what a treat to be part of something so spectacular!

Heathers the Musical is showing at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham until Saturday 10th June 2023.

Review by Leah.

 

Get Your Tickets HERE

 

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