REVIEW: Heathers

Rating: ★★★★★

Quick Summary: Vibrant, funny, poignant and BEAUTIFUL!

I saw Heathers at The Other Palace, just before it was announced that Heathers would be making a transfer to the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Heathers at The Other Palace is now sold out, but tickets are on sale for the show at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, starting 3rd September 2018.

Firstly, The Other Palace is a venue that I would highly recommend seeing a show in. I was sat in the very back row and the visibility was very nearly flawless, especially for the price. I did miss things at the top of the set ever so slightly from time to time, but the audio quality was so good that it didn’t really matter. Also, the theatre is small enough for it to still feel intimate even when you are sat in the back row.

Many people will have heard/seen that iconic bootleg of Barrett Wilbert Weed’s Veronica, and this undoubtedly sets any standards for future Veronica’s at a very high level. However, if you are in the UK/can get to London, then I absolutely recommend hearing Carrie Hope Fletcher’s Veronica. Carrie’s voice is clear, full of honesty and sincerity, and she brings to life Veronica’s good heartedness, confusion and desire to fit in. At the same time, she brings a strength and courage to Veronica, and guides us through a character to whom we can all relate. Vocally, she is radiant, confident, and full of emotion.

Similarly, Jamie Muscato gives a stellar performance as JD. He brings massive depth to the character, moving JD from simply a misunderstood and dangerous teen, to a complex, dark and flawed character. He also manages to make JD someone we very almost feel sorry for. Jamie Muscato highlights both sinister and vulnerable elements of this character, in a JD that is completely antithetical to Carrie Hope Fletcher’s Veronica. This pairing is also a vocal highlight of the show, particularly in the song Seventeen. Their voices suit each other perfectly, and when singing together the timbre is very enjoyable.

For anyone who has seen the original musical version of Heathers, you will notice some differences in this new production. Personally, I found I enjoyed all of these changes, as they brought something new to the show that added to either the characters or the plot in some way. I enjoyed the new interpretation of the ‘date rape’ scene, where a new song called “You’re Welcome” replaced “Blue.” I felt this song added a new dimension to this scene, where Veronica’s emotions of fear and discomfort were more tapped into.

To conclude, I would highly recommend this show. Touching on topics such as young love, suicide, murder, justice, bullying, social hierarchy and rape, this is undoubtedly a hard hitting musical thematically. The profound and poignant messages Heathers has filtrated all the way through is emphasised by the fantastic performances from this cast. It is not thematically your typical musical, but the music and the performances make it very convincing.

You leave this show feeling you have gained something, whether it be a better understanding of those around you, or a better knowledge of yourself. It could just be that you’ve had a good day out at the theatre. Either way, seeing Heathers is an opportunity to hear some great singing, see some great acting, and listen to a great message.

The current cast of Heathers in London is as follows:
Veronica: Carrie Hope Fletcher (also check out Carrie’s youtube channel for some Heathers behind the scenes!)
JD: Jamie Muscato
Heather Chandler: Jodie Steele
Heather Duke: T’Shan Williams
Heather McNamara: Sophie Isaacs
Martha Dunnstock: Jenny O’Leary
Ram Sweeney: Dominic Andersen
Kurt Kelly: Chris Chung
Ms Fleming: Rebecca Lock
See full cast here:

Rosie x