Ian Waller enjoys something very much out of his usual experience and enjoys pretty much every minute – serial killers and all!
OK, right from the start here I kind of guessed that I was going to be out of my usual Bath theatre comfort zone. I didn’t know anything about Heathers The Musical, let alone having never seen the super popular 1980s American film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater on which it is based.
Also, with the audience being largely young teenage women and their mums, with just a few dads like me cajoled into coming along, and I really didn’t know what to expect.
But still, one thing I’ve learned from years of theatre visits is that there’s always the chance to try something new, and that’s exactly what Heathers The Musical at the Theatre Royal Bath offered. It was also a rare night out with my teenage daughter, and that was something I was never going to turn down.
From the start, this had the signs of yet another teenage American high-school rom-com musical production, complete with energetic dance sequences, cooky characters and love lost re-found. What I wasn’t expecting was serial killers, date rape and discussions on teenage suicide!
The plot follows the new girl at high school, Veronica Sawyer (Jenna Innes) and her attempts to get in with the super-popular Heathers, the three it-girls of their time who basically run the place. Along the way, she attempts to look after her geeky friend Martha Dunnstock (Kingsley Morton), while avoiding the unwanted advances of football jocks Kurt Kelly (Alex Woodward) and Ram Sweeney (Morgan Jackson), and also falling for philosophy spouting bad boy Jason ‘JD’ Dean (Jacob Fowler).
So all pretty high school, low brow drama. The thing is, it turns out that JD is in fact a bit of a hunky psycho who soon entangles Veronica in his plans to knock off the school baddies, in a Twilight teen-angsty style, with shovel loads of fun along the way.
And you know what, the result is pretty successful. There’s a great juxtaposition between the dark undertones and subjects of the piece and a Rocky Horror-esque kitsch of the style, songs and setting. All of the main parts are wonderfully well played, with special note going to Verity Thompson as the leader of the Heathers and the epitome of spoilt brat meets Hannah Lector’s favourite offspring.
Similarly the songs are bright and catchy, with special note going to the show-stoppingly hilarious My Dead Gay Son – bringing along its own subplot for the ride. The only downside here is that very theatre musical style of singing that demands a voluminous crescendo in every song, which appears to have the performers competing for who can sing/shout out and hold the last, ever higher note, for the longest. Hey guys, sometimes subtle and soulful works too, you know…
Back to the plot and yes, I did feel uncomfortable with scenes about teenage suicide and date rape getting the song and dance treatment, but, according to my teenage daughter, that’s because I’m old and it’s absolutely to do with a Gen Z style of humour.
However, there is plenty to like about this show, something demonstrated by the huge applause and whoops of joy from the young and clearly enthusiastic audience, climaxing with a standing ovation at the final curtain.
OK, with liberal sprinklings of adult language and certainly content that isn’t suitable for under 14s, this might not be a typically family friendly productions. But for teenagers and their parents and carers, plus anyone else in the mood for something a little different, Heathers The Musical is certainly a great show for a night out in Bath.
Heathers The Musical appears at the Theatre Royal Bath from Tuesday 21st to Saturday 25th March. Tickets are on sale at the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 and online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk