Heathers The Musical Review
Venue: New Wimbledon Theatre, Wimbledon
Dates: 2 Nov - 6 Nov
OUR VERDICT:
Heathers The Musical has brought the 1980 franchise into the limelight in a huge way ever since its debut in 2009. Plaid skirts, crochet mallets - you name it, it’s back, and in all of its technicolour glory. Directed by Andy Fickman and with added music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, I was intrigued to see how the darkly comic elements of the original had been incorporated into lyrical new version.
I quickly came to realise, however, that one of the most important things to understand about the musical is that it is a far cry from the original.
Of course, this has its advantages. The choreography, for one, arranged by Gary Lloyd, is phenomenal. Much of the dancing is synchronised, echoing the clique-y nature of Westerberg High, and this is done throughout in a clean and well-rehearsed manner. The lighting, too, is used to great effect, setting scenes, isolating individuals and mimicking action, whilst in-keeping with its primary-coloured theme.
It is, however, the writing with which I take most issue. The play opens with a clearly established and long-running friendship between Veronica (played by Rebecca Wickes) and Martha ‘Dump-Truck’ Dunnstock (Mhairi Angus), one which is clearly set up to be reconciled. Here, we are taught that Veronica is one of the good ones, one led briefly astray from her true friends, but whom quickly returns to her conventional and well-worn ways. This rewrite is just the first example of the musical somewhat dumbing down the truly twisted nature of the original plot. When played by Winona Ryder, Veronica has long abandoned her principles to join the Heathers. There is not a sense of a momentary lapse in judgement, but of a commitment to wrongdoing that is omitted in the musical production. The same can be said of J.D. in the musical, whose fleshed-out backstory and final scene attempt to offer an explanation for his murderous ways. I don’t think we should be afraid to have evil characters who are, simply, evil.
Similarly, to make it to the stage, much of the film’s violence and noir has been abandoned at the wayside. Veronica is not sexually assaulted at her first college party, Martha ‘Dump-Truck’ Dunnstock is not bullied nearly as ruthlessly, and Veronica most certainly does not deliberately burn herself with the cigarette lighter in her car.
In fact, when violence is unavoidable, as is the case when Kurt and Ram attempt to rape Veronica in a cow field, there is an attempt to neutralise the horrific, namely with an all-singing, all-dancing number from Kurt and Ram. This song receives considerably weaker applause from the audience, which is a shame, because Liam Doyle and Rory Phelan do a great job of imitating brain-dead jocks in their later scenes.
The closest we come to the real nitty-gritty of the original comes in two forms: the scene in which Veronica and JD do sleep together has some of the exultant excitement and teen eroticism of the film, and, perhaps surprisingly, the musical number ‘Lifeboat’ from Heather McNamara, performed by Lizzy Parker (whose singing, I think, could be taken further advantage of). Both scenes are somehow less saccharine than the three murders we witness taking place.
I must emphasise that my criticism does not include the performers themselves. Rebecca Wickes, Simon Gordon (playing J.D.) and Maddison Firth (as Heather Chandler) all do a phenomenal job, throwing themselves into the (slightly hammy) characters provided to them. Maddison Firth in particular provides a combination of bitchiness and comic relief, particularly in her death scene and in those from beyond the grave. Furthermore, to sing, dance, and act simultaneously as Merryl Ansah does as Heather Duke is a skill many can only dream of possessing. The play offers food for thought, making us question how it is, exactly, that a film is adapted for the stage. Despite all my querying, this is an incredibly well-executed, if somewhat PG-13, version of an 80s classic.
Tickets are available to book online here, or call 020 7206 1174. Heathers The Musical will be showing at the New Wimbledon Theatre until 6th November.
