Heathers: The Musical

The Heathers: The Musical pro-shot recording of the Off West End revival of said show is one of the more flushed away productions of musicals.

To start off, their voices are significantly weakened due to the American accent they have to put on. Maddison Firth, who plays Heather Chandler's voice is very nasally when it comes to singing. Jason Dean's actor; Simon Gordon is also a victim of said American accent let-down.

On positive notes, the set design is very flexible when it comes to moving sets. The stage is small, but they still managed to do what they could with a smaller budget. Another pro about this is the tech involved. The lighting is spectacular and it needs a standing ovation just for that! Following, the catchy songs and stunning choreography bring a dim spotlight to this small stage.

Sadly, another negative note is the comedy. It feels much more dry than the comedy in the original West End production and the Off Broadway production. You would expect that the pure hilarity of Off Broadway mixed with the awkwardness of West End surely means hilarious scenes, but the delivery of certain lines seems like they were held at gunpoint to do this show.

All in all, a good movie to listen to just like background music.

I really enjoyed it! I know a lot of people wanted it to be the off-Broadway production, but I actually think the design and direction of the West End version is much stronger.

Ailsa is a very good Veronica. Love her acting and vocal choices, and she's very endearing. Simon Gordon leans much more into the sad/ sympathetic side of JD, which I think might turn off fans of the original film, but he grew on me pretty quickly. I think the changes made to the West End version (ie. Replacing "Blue" with "You're Welcome" and adding "Never Shut Up Again") actually lend themselves to playing JD more sympathetically. The accents are predictably wonky, but I didn't find it too distracting, and I think it actually kind of adds to the campy charm.

Overall: this may not please fans of the original movie, but it's campy fun and a well-produced proshot.

Just about everything about this production was great, except all of the characters were underplayed and none of the actors were consistently able to sell the punchlines. This is problematic for a comedy.

Heather C. Especially was quite hammy and somehow managed to miss the laughs on some of the easiest lines in the show. Veronica, rather than coming off as a wannabe rebel, is just...sad. JD lacks charm. Heather Mac has very little stage time and has literally no character traits, none of the big hearted airiness you'd expect, which culminates in the least sympathetic performance of 'Lifeboat' I've ever seen. Heather Duke was probably the best of them. Kurt and Ram were standouts-both did a great job.

Otherwise a great production, and regardless a fun watch. The songs are well performed, choreo top-notch, costumes and set well-executed, and the lighting is great and comes across really well for the recorded performance.

The weakest facet can be boiled down to the failure to commit to the darkly comedic and campy elements, which is a shame, because that's always been the best part of Heathers.

I normally really like heathers, but this proshot seems very artificial.

I'll be honest, I'd rather watch a bootleg zoomed in from the back row. One of the best things about theatre is how much can happen on a stage at one time. But, when you're constantly zooming in onto a different person's face or chopping between alternate views of the stage, it's harder to appreciate the smaller details.

The increased volume of the audience applause at random jokes makes the show feel a lot more hostile, like an eerie sitcom. And I'll be honest ruins 90% of some of the funniest moments in the show.

Also, the "editing" thing they did before the ad breaks was very weird, and sort of took away from the moment.

I think the cast were great. This JD definitely wasn't my favourite, but again, I really don't think the filming quality did them any favours.

Bring Broadway to the small screen with Heathers: The Musical! Sit in the front row and witness the musical that took the world by storm. The witty and creative production continues to revolutionize theater and lives.

Heathers: The Musical is a musical theater adaptation of the 1988 film Heathers. When Veronica (Ailsa Davidson) wants to fit in with the cool crew at her new school, the most popular girls, the Heathers, (Madison Firth, Vanka Panka, Teleri Hughes) take her under their wing. As Veronica realizes that being popular isn't all it's cracked up to be, she tries to escape the clique she's become a part of, and soon finds that it'll be much more difficult than she thought.

Heathers: The Musical brings the off-Broadway production to audience's homes. The recording of the musical makes it easy for theater fans of all ages to re-watch their favorite play. The film really captures the magic of the theater and hits every mark. The live audience reaction adds to the feeling that viewers are in an opera house, watching the production live. The acting is colorful and easily defines the characters' personalities. Veronica dangles in the morally gray character. She's awkward and funny, but will cross the line between innocence and murder. Meanwhile J. D. (Simon Gordon) is someone who may not be the best boyfriend, but he's a character we can't help but love. All of the actors' performances are outstanding; they emphasize character development, belt out high notes and dance to difficult choreography. It's clear that every actor is a triple threat and enjoys performing for live audiences. The standout performance is Ailsa Davidson, as Veronica. She is a star and captures every scene she is in. Each musical number is fantastic and gives insight to each character and their life. The most recognizable song is "Candy Store." This performance upholds its reputation and proves why it is the most famous song of the soundtrack.

The message of the film is a reminder to be yourself. Veronica craved to be popular and, once she thought she had good friends and changes her entire personality, she realizes that what she really wants is to be herself. This film is inappropriate for younger audiences due to crude language, partial nudity, heavy sexual innuendo, murder and suicide.

I give Heathers: The Musical 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It launches on the Roku Channel September 16, 2022. By Heather S., KIDS FIRST!