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Heathers The Musical The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham **** “If you were happy every day of your life you wouldn’t be a human being. You’d be a games show host.” Just one of the valuable lessons to take home with you from Heathers the Musical. The extreme always seems to make an impression so pull up those knee-high socks, grab your red scrunchies, and wipe the sick from your lips to join Veronica and her Heathers in the corridors of Westerberg High for some super freaky fun and murder. Produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills this black comedy rock musical doesn’t take life or death too seriously, as 17-year-old Veronica Sawyer (Rebecca Wickes) climbs the popularity ladder by forging hall passes. She soon becomes embroiled with the threesome Heathers (Maddison Firth, Merryl Ansah and Lizzy Parker) as they unleash havoc and bully their way to Ram’s (Rory Phelan’s) homecoming party. Poor Veronica’s discarded best friend Martha (Mhairi Angus) suffers the torment and leaves Veronica angry, tormented and vulnerable.
Rebecca Wickes as Veronica. Pictures: Pamela Raith Veronica loses more than her heart to motherless newbie Jason ”J.D.” Dean (Simon Gordon) as the Slurpee numbs her senses and is toxic drain cleaner really the best hangover cure? As Act 1 ends in a graveyard shoot out, J.D and Veronica rewrite Kurt (Liam Doyle) and Ram’s sexuality and J.D professes his undying love to his accomplice. Act 2 kicks off with musical number ‘My Dead Gay Son’ where the murdered jock’s dads reveal their own passions and Veronica, haunted by the half-naked ghosts of her victims, gives J.D an ultimatum to end the violence. Will Martha end all the suffering? Does Ms Fleming (Georgina Hagen) have good intentions? How many suicides can be written into one musical? Have you ever pushed over a cow? What are corn nuts? I hadn’t seen the 80s film Heathers starring Christian Slater and Winona Ryder but really want to now. For an explosive ending, abs to die for and teenage quandaries ‘To kill myself or not to kill myself?’ then this musical is definitely for you. You may find yourself laughing unexpectedly for all the wrong reasons. Director Andy Fickman and writing team Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy bring Heathers to The Alexandra Theatre until Saturday September 25th. Tickets are available from the Box Office on 0121 2309086 or online HERE Emma Trimble 22-09-21 |
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