Heathers is masterpiece of a musical

HEATHERS The Musical

PRINCESS THEATRE*****

I love seeing shows I have never seen before. Even when they turn out to be less than I expected, it is still a thrill for me to see what lies inside the next scene, where the plot is going to take me and what heights of connection performers can draw from me. I had no idea what to expect from Heathers and I am so glad I didn’t research it before I went as I can’t remember being so surprised by a musical before, and I certainly haven’t seen something this original and captivating on the stage for a very long time. And what surprised me most was how dark it was. Dark in the sense of things we don’t normally talk about in musicals being the main themes of the show. Based on the cult film of the same name, I won’t give any spoilers here, as most of the fun of this show is not knowing what waits around the corner. But it is a very black comedy, and I did start to wonder how many characters would be left alive at the end of the performance.

With an outstanding performance by May Tether as Veronica Sawyer (who was actually understudying but you would never have known it), full of delight and fun whilst exuding a powerhouse of vocal talent and stage presence, the show had a guiding light that was a joy to watch. And the rest of the cast stood tall alongside her, with watertight vocal harmonies, and bags of energy. The songs require a huge vocal range as the melodies soar, then drop, then soar again, reflecting the lows and highs of the teenage angst that sits behind the lyrics, and they required enormous vocal dexterity from all of the cast. With seamless movement, the action never stopped, with a set that adapted quickly from one scene to the next, and some inspired directing which allowed continuous action. It was a thrilling ride to watch, and the cast kept an incredible pace throughout.

Underneath the very black humour and surface giggles though, lies something much deeper and far more poignant, which I found really touching. The fears and dreams of young people, the effects of bullying and the desire to be liked. The awful loneliness that comes from not knowing how to take your place in the world in a way that does not attract derision or, even worse, attracts no attention at all. And what do you do when you feel like there is no place for you in the world? These are themes we can all relate to, and they subtly drive the underbelly of this show and give it a rare depth and emotional draw.

Heathers is masterpiece of a musical, carefully crafted not just to entertain but to comment on a society which still struggles to address the challenges of the teenage years. And this particular production is outstandingly delivered – a must see for all those who love it when theatre takes you on a journey of surprise.

Heathers runs at The Princess Theatre, Torquay until Saturday 9 November