★★★★
Dear Diary. Heathers: The Musical has hit the Sydney Opera House. How very!
Based on the 1988 cult film, this musical exudes energy from the second the curtain rises. We follow Veronica (Hilary Cole), a pensive teen struggling to survive on the battlefield that is high school. After her talent for forgery is discovered, she finds herself inadvertently rolling with the army of Heathers and their shoulder pads. But life isn’t beautiful for long and she quickly commits social suicide by being a half-decent person. Fortunately, she meets the tumultuous JD (Stephen Madsen) – a James Dean knock-off toy boy in a trench coat. Their subsequent love story is punctuated with passion, angst and a body count as JD murders anyone who gets in their way. Just your average teenage drama, right?
The cast is an undeniably talented one. In addition to being a supremely gifted singer and actor, Cole gives a performance in clear homage to the original film – her mannerisms and elocution are a love letter to Winona Ryder. Similarly, Lucy Maunder encompasses the caricature that is Heather Chandler; both her performance and shoulder pads are larger than life. In fact, both leads are so commanding in voice and presence that the small Playhouse stage didn’t feel large enough to hold them. Their energy is palpable and deserving of a grander, more challenging space.
While the themes and characterisation explored in the musical are contextually relevant, the treatment of sexual assault is admittedly confronting at times. Perhaps this is the point; to comment on how far society has or has not come. Nevertheless, songs such as ‘Blue’ are quite clearly playing the serious subject matter for laughs. Witnessing two of the Heathers dumping Veronica into a date rape scenario as a means of self-preservation is far from funny.
Questionable numbers aside, Heathers: The Musical is a delightful romp that can only really be described as ‘big fun’. Although old-school fans will find more nuance and in-jokes, it isn’t alienating to newcomers. The overall campness of the production is permeated with a darkness and self-awareness that is refreshing and hilarious.
Heathers: The Musicalis playing at the Playhouse,Sydney Opera House until Sunday June 26.
