Review: Heathers the Musical at the Roslyn Packer Theatre
Review by Carly Fisher
There are musicals you politely applaud, musicals you enthusiastically cheer for, and then there is Heathers the Musical, where the audience at the Roslyn Packer Theatre on Saturday night screamed for this show and its cast as though we were at a concert. It’s the sort of enthusiasm for theatre that is contagious and whilst the volume and sheer joy kind of surprised me, I was instantly engulfed in the absolute excitement of it all. This is a show that is getting a next generation of theatre goers out to the theatre and in definite numbers - the audience was packed and that is something to celebrate in this current climate of ticket sales! A show like Heathers may seem like just a bit of fun but it is doing something important for our industry in getting people out to see quality theatre - and quality it was!
Heathers in a nutshell: playful, camp, brash, high-energy and completely committed to giving its audience exactly what they came for.
Based on the cult 1989 film and with music, book and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, Heathers has now been around for long enough to have become a cult phenomenon in its own right. Sixteen years after the musical first received a staged reading, this Australian production arrives with a clear understanding of its audience — and it caters to them magnificently. This production comes directly from London and New York and its a great new interpretation of this dark comedy.
At the centre of it all is Emma Caporaso as Veronica Sawyer, and she is unquestionably the star of this production. Of course, Veronica is the lead role, but Caporaso brings something more to it than simply being the person with the most stage time. There is a real spunk to her performance — she is funny, cheeky, emotionally grounded and utterly watchable. Most importantly, she has the vocals to raise the roof! Caporaso attacks Veronica's songs with an impressive combination of power and personality, while never losing the character underneath all the big musical theatre moments. For a performer making her professional musical theatre debut after graduating from WAAPA, this is some entrance.
Nic Van Lits as Kurt Kelly is a particular standout, bringing terrific physicality and some seriously impressive dancing to the role. Paired with David Cuny's Ram Sweeney, the two make for a wonderfully ridiculous double act. Together, they nail the archetype of the impossibly confident, aggressively heterosexual "cool footballer" with just the right amount of theatrical absurdity.
And then there is that song.
“I Love My Dead Gay Son” remains one of the absolute highlights of Heathers, and in Sydney it lands beautifully. Ellis Dolan and Brodie Masini are superb in the number, finding every possible comic beat while committing completely to the ridiculousness of the material.
Dolan is particularly impressive throughout the production. Moving between Ram's Dad, Big Bud Dean and Coach Ripper, he demonstrates a remarkable versatility — changing character, vocal quality and physicality with ease. His work here is exemplary, and his comic instincts are consistently sharp.
The vocal performances across the production are excellent. There is a real musical theatre calibre to this cast, with the big numbers receiving the kind of vocal firepower that Heathers demands.
Behind them, Musical Director Martine Wengrow and Musical Supervisor Will Joy lead a band that keeps the score feeling fresh, punchy and exciting. The songs are familiar - half the audience would have been able to sing every lyric - so this execution was important and it was great to see a lot of the songs remain true to their original arrangement.
The one musical arrangement that didn't quite land for me was “I Say No”. This was the only point where I felt the music overpowered Caporaso rather than supporting her. Given how effortlessly she commands the score elsewhere, it was a noticeable contrast. That said, she still belted her way through it with complete command of the stage but as one of my favourite songs in the show, and a pivotal turning point in the show, it’s a song that really should not get too lost.
Visually, the production embraces the heightened world of Heathers, with David Shields' set and costume design, Ben Cracknell's lighting, and Dan Samson's sound design helping create a world that is unmistakably Heathers: bright, stylised, occasionally garish and always larger than life. The costumes have remained faithful to the original style and 80s flair of the show and I think that this worked - I mean, the entry of the Heathers in their red, green and yellow plaid is absolutely iconic. The production is directed by Andy Fickman, with Gary Lloyd as choreographer and UK associate director and it is great to see this version of the show come over to Australia - I saw this production in London a couple of years ago and always love seeing how our Aussie cast members absolutely nail international material.
The wider company — including Calista Nelmes as Heather Chandler, Amélia Rojas as Heather Duke, Abigail Sharp as Heather McNamara, Zoe Gertz as Ms Fleming/Veronica's Mom and Mel O'Brien as Martha Dunnstock — deliver in spades. Across the board, the vocals are spectacular and the personalisation of these archetypal characters is well executed! The ensemble, too, brings the sort of commitment and energy that allows the production to maintain its momentum from beginning to end, whilst also showing off the talent of young performers in our industry.
Heathers isn't trying to be restrained. It isn't interested in quietly suggesting that something is funny when it can make the joke bigger, campier and louder. There is something genuinely joyful about seeing a theatre audience this engaged. The Roslyn Packer Theatre was absolutely alive — and while the subject matter of Heathers may be dark, the experience of watching this particular production is anything but. Because ultimately, as absurd as this show gets, it is fun throughout.
It is especially exciting to see a musical of this quality playing in a more intimate venue like the Roslyn Packer Theatre. Sydney absolutely needs more of this. Between Heathers and My Brilliant Career, we are currently on something of a lucky streak at the Ros Pack for musicals — and long may it continue.
Heathers remains a weird, wonderful triumph of a cult classic and in this production, showcases new Australian talent too - names that we may not have known before but will be looking out for going forward!
