Review: Heathers (The Arts at Marble Arch)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There are some shows that are resilient, and others that are seemingly immortal. A few years ago, it seemed that Heathers would outlive us all with its consecutive London runs, with the sense that even drinking drain cleaner or being shot with Ich lüge bullets wouldn't finish it off. I have always loved the show, but I'd begun to think a little break to allow us to miss it wouldn't hurt - and that's exactly what it has done! But now it's back to open the brand new Arts at Marble Arch, a temporary theatre while The Arts theatre is being refurbished. Could what feels like version number seventeen of Heathers still land with the same impact as the first, or would I say no to any return visits?

For anyone not too familiar with the many, many productions of Heathers over the years, it first appeared in 2009, with an off-Broadway run in 2014. However, it was its London premiere in 2018 that really took it up a level with new songs added during its initial run (including what is now one of its signature songs). A devoted fanbase of “Corn Nuts” saw London rarely be without a production moving from The Other Palace to Theatre Royal Haymarket and returning for encore runs at both. It was last seen in London two years ago for a short stint at @SohoPlace in a run I said felt refreshing, breathing new life into a show I loved but had risked feeling slightly tired. Since then, it has come full circle, finally making its Broadway debut with an acclaimed run that is now entering its second year across the pond. Though its origins are in America, it is safe to say British audiences have taken Heathers to their hearts, which is why the lack of it over here over the last year or so has been quite notable. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, of course, and there was certainly no harm in resting the show over here to allow audiences to fall in love all over again when it made its inevitable return. That return is now here with a limited London run in a brand new theatre to kick off a tour of the UK and Ireland.

Based on the cult movie from 1988, Heathers centres around the events of Westerburg High through the eyes of Veronica Sawyer. Popularity in school can feel like a matter of life and death, but that is literally the case here. Veronica dreams of no longer being a nobody, and gets her wish when she finds herself in with the in-crowd, namely the Heathers, a trio of girls all named… well, you get the idea. At the same time, she falls for JD, the mysterious rebel who has just moved to the school. However, his ideas for making the world a better place don’t quite align with Veronica’s, and the consequences of these actions prove deadly.

It is no secret how much I have always loved Heathers. I caught it early in its first run at The Other Palace, before ‘I Say No’ had even been added, and found myself going back for each of its many London runs. This is actually the fourth time I have reviewed the show over the years, and you may think I might run out of different ways to call it a “killer show”, but I am always looking out for what makes each version of the show different from the other, for better or worse. That can make me a harsher critic in some regards as I have references of different versions, and while I always try to avoid comparisons, they can prove inevitable at times. I found this time around I had a lot to talk about in a production that had some interesting and unique aspects, but also found itself up against some challenges.

Let’s start with the basics. The book, music and lyrics are a large part of why Heathers has returned time and time again and thrilled audiences all over the world. Written by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, they have created a show with instantly quotable dialogue. Many lines have been lifted directly from the movie. Drool much, How very and F*** me gently with a chainsaw (a personal favourite of mine) have turned Heathers from a fairly niche movie into something with a loyal and more mainstream fanbase. The songs are where Heathers truly shines though. Though it went through a journey to get where it is today with new songs added and some removed, what has been left is one of the most fun, catchy and dare I say recognisable collections of songs in modern musical theatre. ‘Candy Store’, ‘Seventeen’, ‘Freeze Your Brain’, ‘Dead Girl Walking’ and ‘I Say No’ no longer exist purely in the show - you will regularly hear them as part of musical theatre concerts, with the inclusion of a song from this show always guaranteeing an excitable response.

A key player in the success of Heathers is director Andy Fickman, who has once again returned to the show, ensuring it is still its distinct tried and tested self, while being unafraid to add new elements into the mix. I was surprised at how different certain moments were, presumably brought over from the Broadway production (though I may be wrong) - this was most apparent in the completely different curtain call featuring brand new choreography. Elsewhere, new inclusions brought a freshness to the show, with Kurt and Ram getting some additions that were not present before. There is also the nature of each cast member putting their own stamp on the role which is more prominent in this production than ever before (more on that shortly). There is the sense that this show is in safe hands with Fickman, whose fun and fabulous choices know exactly how much to exaggerate certain moments without reducing it into farcical territory. I would say in this production there were a few moments that felt more sluggish than before, with the pacing not quite as hot as usual, but that may be a case of it still being fairly early days for this cast with the show perhaps needing a touch more bedding in.

It is always exciting when a new theatre opens, even if it is only a temporary site. With The Arts at Marble Arch in an exciting central location, I was even more excited about this visit to Heathers for an excuse to check it out, and all I can say is it is unlikely to become a personal favourite of mine. There are some questionable elements to the setup with poor sightlines and a stage that is inexplicably at ground level, with its failure to be raised creating unnecessary restrictions in the audience. Its biggest problem by far is its inexcusable lack of soundproofing. If you are going to build a theatre in a bustling part of Central London, in the heart of Hyde Park, you’re going to want to ensure the sound from outside the theatre doesn’t dominate. There is always a degree of outside noise, such as the underground at Charing Cross Theatre or the odd siren at some theatres, however this was beyond excessive. A series of loud sirens drowned out the cast at one point, and I felt for them fighting to have their voices heard against the competing sounds. With concerts in Hyde Park from Lewis Capaldi and Pitbull last weekend, I understand the noise was much worse, which I can imagine must have made for a very jarring experience. Don’t get me wrong, as much as ‘Kindergarten Boyfriend’ may be elevated by Pitbull’s repeated shouts of “Mr Worldwide”, perhaps we should leave it to the cast? I fail to understand how nobody involved in the building of this theatre didn’t see what a problem the sound bleed was going to be, and how it was allowed to happen? Not just disappointing. Absolutely inexcusable.

The debate I had with this review is how much does the state of the theatre impact the production itself? There is no denying it had a large impact on my enjoyment of the show, particularly in Act One. When the conversation in the interval is dominated by how problematic a theatre is as opposed to the production itself, it speaks volumes but is also unfair to the show itself. It is a testament to all involved at Heathers that the evening was as enjoyable as it was, with Act Two distracting from the other elements and reminding just why I love this show. What I thought might be a three-star review in the interval managed to bump up to the next level, thanks to the greatness of the show itself. That is not to say this production isn’t without its flaws, but how much of that is down to the venue remains to be seen. I would be interested to see how this show fares in another venue on its upcoming tour. I also hope something can be done to improve The Arts at Marble Arch, but given how severe the sound issue is and the fact it is already built, I am unsure how possible that even is.

One aspect that makes each production of Heathers distinct from its predecessors is its cast, and this production certainly has some standouts who manage to put their own spin on the roles. I can’t say this is the strongest cast I have seen and there were certainly some performances that could benefit from a bit more rehearsal, while one or two didn’t seem to quite land the characters they were portraying - I’m not going to mention particular names in those examples though, as not to be cruel, but I will gladly call out some of the cast who wowed me with their performances.

Gerardine Sacdalan steps into Veronica Sawyer’s famous blue outfit, delivering a solid performance that perfectly exemplifies the conflicted nature of the lovesick teenager longing to be popular and standing up for what’s right. It was her performance of ‘I Say No’ that really blew me away, however, opting to sing it quite differently than I have heard before, but it made it feel fresh and certainly worked. I was on the fence with Louis Hearsey’s portrayal of Jason ‘J.D’ Dean early on, with the feeling he was perhaps playing it a bit too sweetly with not enough of the sinister edge necessary for the character. However, I certainly got off the damn fence as his performance progressed with the realisation he was deliberately opting for a slow burn which made J.D’s unravelling all the more sweet, ironically enough. His ‘Meant To Be Yours’ can only be described as utterly unhinged, and beautifully so. I want to end up feeling unsettled by a J.D, and Hearsey certainly managed that.

The standout in this cast for me, however, is Liberty Stottor as Heather Chandler. Not an easy role by any stretch, as any good Chandler needs to command the stage in both stages of her existence. Stottor is effortless in her ability to steal focus even when she is merely in the background, pulling the most subtle of faces. Her stage presence is second to none, with her charisma, vocals and comic timing making for a sensational star turn. A special mention must also go to Sophie Manners whose understated Martha Dunnstock came into her own through a rousing ‘Kindergarten Boyfriend’, again featuring a different take on how to sing the number, and absolutely flooring me in doing so.

There is always something comforting about seeing a musical you know and love for the first time in a while, and this long-awaited return trip to Heathers certainly did that. Given a chance to miss it, I looked forward to a chance to return to Westerburg High, and there is plenty here that is going to satisfy anyone who has been desperate for an overdue Heathers fix. Is this the best version of Heathers you will ever see? Definitely not. But is it still a joyous way to spend a couple of hours? Absolutely. Even in a venue that presents its own challenges, this show still manages to pack a punch, and I’m sure it will get even better as the run progresses and this cast travels with the tour.

Heathers plays at The Arts at Marble Arch until 22nd August. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/musical/heathers-the-musical-tickets

Photos by Pamela Raith