Heathers The Musical

Based on the cult classic 1989 film, this musical explores the special hell that is high school!

In the fast-changing world in which we live, it is reassuring sometimes to realise that some things remain the same. Or is it?

Everyone has been to school; everyone will resonate with the themes of Heathers.

Heathers, set in the 1980’s, reflects pretty much the horrors of navigating high school while in the highly emotional, explosive state that is adolescence. It was the same in the 60’s, obviously in the 80’s and in the new millennium, given the power of immediate and instant communications, photographic equipment in everyone’s pockets and the prevalence of fake news, is more terrifying.

Heathers is not a show for the faint hearted or the preciously pious, being the hard hitting, no prisoners social comment that it is – a confrontational show with themes of murder, suicide, sex, rape, drugs, booze, shaming and bullying.

The power of Heathers is that it is also a very funny show, full of hilarious biting one liners that whilst make you laugh out loud, and we did, only to leave an after taste of deep thought. Thought, I may add, which continues into the next days.

North Shore Music Theatre has, in recent years, found a niche in the very crowded field of Youth Theatre, by catering, not to children with Disney product, but to the teenage market both on and off the stage. The by-product being that the shows chosen are interesting to older audiences too.

This production is excellent. Staged in a very small theatre, with the cast up close and personal with the audience and in amongst us at times, there is no room for any of the very committed actors to be anything else than absolutely committed to truth.

Everyone in this cast is brilliant.

The 3 Heathers, played by Francesca Ramdhanie, Xanthe Pavlovich and Geena Hutton, are the “popular” girls – to sit at their table at school lunch is the ultimate prize.  All three of these actresses are fantastic! Bitchy, rude, uncaring, pretty girls seemingly with no goals other than to be perfectly groomed, coiffured, feared yet adored for no reason other than they have made themselves powerful. These three actresses play the “biatch” roles to perfection, yet all three show us the very frightened little girls they are at heart as the story unfolds.

Jaymee Brearley plays Veronica Sawyer, a girl conflicted who gets into the cool girls’ crowd because she can forge notes, believes she can handle the elevation to “mascot Heather”, but soon begins changing and becoming someone she does not like. Turning away from the Heathers she steps into love and a situation much more dangerous than she anticipated. This role is a big sing, with a huge vocal range called for, and calls for an actress with a great emotional range as well and Jaymee nails both.

Aiden Elliot plays a brilliant misfit, the guy everyone in high school these days needs to pay the most attention too. Aidan plays this role with great pace and restraint, almost wooing Veronica and us into his world and one does not know until the last moment just how much of a dangerous misfit he really is.

All the actors in this production are well cast. The ensemble is excellent. They work hard and are fearless. The adult roles are crafted finely by Matthew Carr, Thomas Calver, and the multi-talented Zaverr Doctor, who is naturally a brilliant comedian and whose characters steal the show at times, which is important in this show when we need some comic relief.

My favourite moment of the show was provided by Angela Mason who in her role is subjected to most of the Heathers’ bullying and universal derision, and ultimately betrayed by her best friend. Angela plays damaged, fragile and vulnerable beautifully and her attempted self-harm was heart stopping.

Director Alexandra McKellar is an excellent story teller and has excelled in leading this production. There is not a weak link or moment in it. She has relied primarily on an extremely minimalist approach with no scenery and very few set pieces. She knows we have all lived this story and can fill in the picture with much more detail than a set designer ever could.

Musical Director Griffin Jenkins leads an excellent band which plays in feisty fashion but so restrained in such a small theatre space. That is a special talent and takes a sympathetic sound team and a very competent technical manager, Matt Johnston.

The choreography is extremely clever and kudos to Emma Carr for dance that pushes the ‘in the 80’s’ vibe button, works in a tiny space button, is character suitable but manages to look so tight and together.

This production is a don’t miss! It may be disturbing to anyone suffering from social anxiety, or who may have been a victim of bullying or abuse.

It is quite an emotional journey watching Heathers. It brings back some long buried memories, makes one consider our society and challenges the audience at times. A most thought provoking piece, bitingly funny and an important theatre piece with much to say. A perfectly timed line in the script to sum up the  Heathers experience -   “fuck me gently with a chainsaw.”

Pauline Vella