Heathers The Musical

The performances of Veronica, J.D., and the Heathers needed to be top-tier given how iconic these characters are. However, two characters that truly feel like they have a new lease of life in the musical are the jocks. Iván Fernández González’s Kurt Kelly and Jason Battersby’s Ram Sweeney are standout performers in the first act, particularly for the comedic relief they bring. This continues into the second act, where the duo bounce off one another with excellent physical comedy, whilst also revealing the dorky layers beneath their macho personas.

The musical allowing characters who are less prominent in the film to step further into the spotlight is one of its greatest strengths. There may be no better example than the outrageously funny second act opener ‘My Dead Gay Son’, with performances from Conor McFarlane and Alexander Service leaving the audience in stitches. Their full commitment to the number was admirable and arguably made this one of the best second act openings I have ever seen.

Heathers’ large ensemble also receive more moments in the spotlight during the second act. Amy Miles’ rendition of ‘Kindergarten Boyfriend’ as Martha Dunnstock is extremely poignant, whilst Lucy Sinclair provides several hysterical moments as Ms Flemming. The funniest of these involved the show’s main audience participation moment, where Flemming singles out an audience member. After hilariously berating him for never truly satisfying her, she turns to ask who he has brought along tonight, only for it to be revealed that it is his daughter. Full credit goes to Kelly Sweeney, who fought valiantly not to break into uncontrollable laughter, only making the moment even funnier.

Whilst every performance across the night was strong, and the book, music, and lyrics of Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe are obviously exceptional, a production like this cannot truly shine without effective staging. Thankfully, David Shields’ set design is genius, with multiple moving components that are continually repurposed to transform the stage and fully immerse the audience in Sherwood, Ohio.

With previous West End runs and UK tours being so highly regarded, there must have been huge pressure on this current production. However, it was clear from last night that the 2024 UK tour has gone above and beyond to maintain the show’s stellar reputation. This cast share a palpable chemistry, and every technical and creative element works together to enhance the experience.

With only four days remaining of this tour, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you head to Cambridge Arts Theatre and experience this production before it comes to an end.