There is a caveat on the Oxford Playhouse website re Heathers The Musical advising: ‘This production contains haze, loud noises including gunshots, flashing lights, strobe, strong language and mature themes including murder, suicide, sexual violence and references to eating disorders. Audience discretion is advised.’
Not for the faint-hearted then, nor the light-weight teen high school you might imagine. But what it doesn’t add is how much fun there is to be had.
Many saw the original Heathers film starring Winona Riders and Christian Slater back in the 1980s, the story of Veronica Sawyer who’s taken under the wings of the three beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers at Westerberg High. But as her dreams of popularity start to come true, they come at a price as heart-throb JD teaches her about the benefits of murder.
On a deeper level, we’ve come on in leaps and bounds since then, the coersive nature of the relationship now clearly visible, but taken at face value, Heathers The Musical’s tongue-in-cheek approach, and in-your-face mentality, takes no prisoners, racing through an incredible array of hilarious songs, high octane dance numbers and a plot that leaves you breathless in its wake.
Many of the audience were dressed up in Cosplay, (costumes representing specific characters), singing along, laughing uproariously at the hilarious jokes and japes and enjoying songs such as ‘My Dead Gay Son’. Nothing is sacred here it seems, as the ghosts amount.
And yes, Heathers The Musical is dark and uncomfortable in places, but the humour carries you through, the music lifting you right up to the violent finale, the songs morphing into ear worms for the foreseeable future.
The cast is superb, and even though main lead Jenna Innes who plays Veronica wasn’t able to perform, May Tether stepped easily into her sparkly shoes, the perfect foil to the brilliantly creepy JD (Keelan Mcauley), whose pipes lifted the roof.
So no, not advisable for children, but certainly highly recommended, and one of the best musicals I’ve seen for a long time. But be quick because Heathers The Musical has largely sold out in Oxford, and seats are understandably like gold dust!
Bea Payne
Heathers The Musical runs until Saturday October 26. Book at https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/heathers-the-musical
