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Heathers

Theatre Royal Haymarket

Reviewed – 12th July 2021

★★★

“a shouty affair that drowns out much of the tragedy, truth and trauma running through the heart of the piece”

I approach “Heathers the Musical” somewhat as an outsider. In a seemingly packed, though socially distanced auditorium, I am detached from the majority of the audience. Although I am hoping to be drawn in, and accepted. Based on the eighties’ movie, which originally flopped only to become a cult; the musical rapidly became a cult in its own right while skipping the pre-requisite critical rejection that qualifies its status. What marks this production out from the start is the enthusiasm with which it is presented and received. Everything about it is heightened and it often feels like you are in a cartoon.

Set very specifically in 1989, it adopts the high school setting so popular at the time, but twists the genre into something much darker. It reaches further than the typical subject matter of peer pressure and rebellion and attempts to grapple with teenage suicide and the fatal attraction of belonging to a clique. The clique in question is a trio of girls, all called Heather, who hold sway with a swagger that pushes credibility to the limit. For reasons governed by plot clichés, the protagonist – Veronica – is desperate to run with this pack. To say that she eventually outruns them is no spoiler; we can all see it coming as visibly as the love interest side-line.

What rescues the storyline are the quirks, the shocks and body-count that we don’t anticipate. And the oddball minor characters that outshine the leads in most cases. Andy Fickman’s production is a shouty affair that drowns out much of the tragedy, truth and trauma running through the heart of the piece. The more successful moments are when the volume gets turned down and the irony and sporadic subversiveness is allowed to be heard.

Christina Bennington is in fine voice as Veronica, torn between following her fantasy (in the shape of the three Heathers) or her conscience, represented by the Baudelaire reading, enigmatic Jason ‘JD’ Dean; gleefully played with a tongue-in-cheek assuredness by Jordan Luke Gage. His rapid metamorphosis from sympathetic to psychopathic is fun to watch. Less so are the eponymous Heathers; Jodie Steele, Bobbie Little and Frances Mayli McCann who screech far too much for their own good. At least Steele has the advantage of her ‘Heather’ being killed off fairly early on, allowing her to come back and haunt the perpetrators – a sardonic ghost that sheds more light and shade on proceedings than those still alive and clinging onto a script that is pulling them under.

It is buoyed up by the music that, despite its subject matter, powers the piece with energy and optimism. Bizarrely this sense of optimism and misplaced nostalgia is what characterises “Heathers” which, in effect, is a musical about high school killers. It makes light of the issues but doesn’t succeed in highlighting them by the humour. But what do I know? As I said at the start – I am the outsider; detached from the rest of the audience. There’s no denying this is a solid production, with a dream cast of West End talent. And there’s no denying its guaranteed success. It has bludgeoned its way into its cult status – but at the cost of sensitivity.

Reviewed by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Pamela Raith

Heathers

Theatre Royal Haymarket until 11th September

Previously reviewed by Jonathan this year:

Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Hung Parliament | ★★★★ | Online | February 2021

The Picture of Dorian Gray | ★★★★ | Online | March 2021

Bklyn The Musical | ★★★★★ | Online | March 2021

Remembering the Oscars | ★★★ | Online | March 2021

Disenchanted | ★★★ | Online | April 2021

Preludes in Concert | ★★★★★ | Online | May 2021

You Are Here | ★★★★ | Southwark Playhouse | May 2021

Abba Mania | ★★★★ | Shaftesbury Theatre | May 2021

Cruise | ★★★★★ | Duchess Theatre | May 2021

Amélie The Musical | ★★★★ | Criterion Theatre | June 2021

Forever Plaid | ★★★★ | Upstairs at the Gatehouse | June 2021

Forgetful Heart | ★★★★ | Online | June 2021

Express G&S | ★★★★ | Pleasance Theatre | June 2021

The Hooley | ★★★★★ | Chiswick House & Gardens | June 2021

Staircase | ★★★ | Southwark Playhouse | June 2021

Bad Days And Odd Nights | ★★★★★ | Greenwich Theatre | June 2021

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★★★★

“Adam Gillen is particularly entertaining and chucklesome as Blow ‘n’ Go hairdresser Liam”

Sun, sea, saucy jokes, sangrias and saveloy puns galore. Twelve years after ITV’s smash hit Benidorm first aired, writer Derren Litten, as part of a nationwide tour, brings the Brit-abroad phenomenon to the Theatre Royal Brighton with his new stage show Benidorm Live! The premise is clear, The Solana Hotel is in trouble and when word of an undercover hotel inspector arriving spreads, panic ensues. The show follows three storylines that intertwine skillfully through a mix of musical interludes and a revolving set, beautiful created by designer Mark Walters. The Solana’s staff hunt for the illusive hotel inspector’s identity, beloved hairdresser Kenneth has a new admirer Derek (Damian Williams) and posh couple Sophie (Tricia Adele-Turner) and Josh (Bradley Clarkson) are forced to stay in the Solana, due to their more expensive and less shabby hotel being accidently overbooked.

Under strong and clear direction from Ed Curtis we are quickly reunited with fan-favourites Mateo (Jake Canuso), Jacqueline (Janine Duvitski) , Joyce Temple-Savage (Sherrie Hewson), Sam (Shelley Longworth) and Kenneth (Tony Maudsley); each of whom are greeted with a rapturous round of applause upon entering the stage in panto-esque fashion however Adam Gillen is particularly entertaining and chucklesome as Blow ‘n’ Go hairdresser Liam. It is evident that all the characters are dearly beloved and their chemistry from the BAFTA winning series is clear from the off. They are supported by a talented ensemble of Will Breckin, Kevin Brewis, Deborah Bundy, Serena Giacomini, Will Jennings and Ben Redfern.

Although not dubbed a musical, the show contains a plethora of well-known hits from Livin# La Vida Loca to Nat King Cole’s Unforgettable. Singer Asa Elliott does well to hold the musical interludes and numbers together, but they lack any real punch and failed to get the audience singing along despite his best efforts. Although the characters needed to be an exaggerated version of their TV self, sound levels were set far too high meaning you often felt as if the actors were shouting, diminishing the need for microphones altogether outside of the big musical numbers; This also becomes a detriment throughout the evening as lines and gags are lost.

That being said, whether you’re a newbie checking into the Solana for the first time or a regular in Neptune’s Bar, you can’t help but smile at Benidorm Live’s adult exuberance. Derren Litten’s creation is the lovechild of Fawlty Towers and your local pantomime, just a lot bawdier. A laugh-a-minute high energy show.

Reviewed by Nathan Collins

Photography by Paul Coltas