September 16th, 2022 was a beautiful frickin’ day for fans of Heathers the Musical in the U.S and Canada, as a professionally filmed performance of the London production was released to stream for free on Roku.
It’s no secret that I have been a fan of Heathers since the show’s Off-Broadway days, which means that I have been waiting for this proshot since 2014. And my goodness, was it worth the wait! It was literally everything I could have possibly wanted in a filmed version of the musical!
Westerberg High’s Veronica Sawyer is just another nobody dreaming of a better day. But when she joins the beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers, her dreams of popularity may finally come true. Mysterious teen rebel JD teaches her that it might kill to be a nobody, but it is murder being a somebody.
The cult classic musical is based on the 1988 film of the same name with a book, music, and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy. In 2021, Heather made its return to the U.K, on the West End and on tour! The filmed performance is of second West End production at The Other Palace and stars Ailsa Davidson as Veronica Sawyer, Simon Gordon as J.D, Maddison Firth as Heather Chandler, Teleri Hughes as Heather McNamara, Vivian Panka as Heather Duke, and Mhairi Angus as Martha Dunnstock.
Heathers will always be one of my favourite musicals - with clever and catchy songs, and a witty book which handles the most difficult topics with ease. As someone who watched the grainy Off-Broadway bootleg religiously (as we all did.) I noticed some changes from 2014, most of which I loved! First is the fabulous set design, which keeps true to its minimalistic routes while adding pops of 80s colour and a classic high school feel. I also really enjoyed the dialogue added to the book, it added wonderful backstory and depth to the characters. There were also new songs, my favourite being I Say No, the catchy I Will Never Shut Up Again, and You’re Welcome taking the place of Blue. All are wonderful, but I will always miss Blue.
Another one of my favourite things about Heathers is it’s small cast, and the proshot cast is full to the brim with talent.
Ailsa Davidson is a fresh and charismatic Veronica who gracefully tackles the character arc from a normal teenager dying to fit in, to a young woman who knows exactly who she is. I really enjoyed the variety of vocal techniques Davidson used, it made Veronica’s journey incredibly dynamic to listen to. This was mirrored in acting choices; and I loved every brilliant layer she brought to her performance.
Simon Gordon is a perfect J.D, giving another powerhouse performance in a difficult role. He’s the perfect mix of every girl’s moody teenage dream and dangerous serial killer, all while drawing empathy from the audience in the show’s final moments.
Maddison Firth is a terrifying and powerful Heather Chandler, Teleri Hughes is a warm Heather McNamara, and Vivian Panka a cunning Heather Duke. All three actresses are triple threats, with killer vocals, tight dance moves, and brilliant comedic timing.
The best thing is that the entire cast of performers are clearly having the time of their lives, and it’s contagious!
I genuinely could gush all day about this proshot, but I would rather spend that time watching it again, and so should you! It’s amazing, and I’ve left all the links you need to enjoy Heathers below.
Enjoy, CornNuts!
Here is a link to the proshot’s trailer:
You can make an account to check out the show here:
If you’re in the U.K, you can go see Heathers in person at The Other Palace through February 2023:
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