Hold onto your scrunchies but Heathers is back in London and this time it is at a new venue, the Arts at Marble Arch. I’ve followed Heathers’ UK journey since its workshop at the Other Palace in 2017 and seen it move to the main stage there, in the West End and on tour so I was excited to see what this latest iteration would bring.
For those that have escaped this cult phenomenon over the last few years Heathers introduces us to Veronica Sawyer who manages to integrate herself in with the popular girls – The Heathers, at the same time as falling for the new kid at Westerberg High, JD. As Veronica battles with her newfound popularity and doing the right thing the show takes a dark turn as she discovers JD’s troubled convictions. Nearly a decade on from my first experience of Heathers it still feels relevant, balancing satire with themes of bullying, mental health and teenage identity that remain recognisable today.
Kevin Murphy’s and Laurence O’Keefe’s book, music and lyrics is a winning combination of which excel in every department. The book is darkly funny and doesn’t shy away from some bigger topics and the show is full of songs that in most other shows would be a stand-out number, but in this show nearly every song I find myself exclaiming,’ I love this number!’
Heathers alumni include the likes of Carrie Hope Fletcher, Jodie Steele, Jordan Luke Gage, Sophie Issacs and Christina Bennington so this cast have an impressive legacy to follow however, this cast of 2026 succeeded in making the show their own while remaining true to what makes this show such a cult favourite at the same time. Geraldine Sacdalan dons Veronica’s blue blazer and she delivers a flawless performance where I was unable to take my eyes off her. Her rendition of ‘I Say No’ when she finally stands up to JD was a highlight of the show and her comic timing when needed was impeccable. The Heathers were played by Liberty Stotter (Heather Chandler), Jessica Jbadin (Heather Duke) and Lou Henry (Heather MacNamara) and they really succeeded in getting the 3 distinct characters across whilst at the same time presenting as a real unit when needed. Stotter had a real air of superiority about her portrayal of Heather Chandler which was perfect for the role and despite Heather Chandler’s many personality flaws you couldn’t help but be entertained by Stotter, toeing the perfect line between disliking a character yet wanting to see more of them.
Heather MacNamara is the Heather with a slightly softer side which the audience discover more in act 2 and Henry was able to deliver both sides of MacNamara’s personality with ease and her number ‘Lifeboat’ was a genuinely tender moment in otherwise what can be quite a relentless high octane show. Completing the trio was Jbadin whose moment to shine was during ‘Never Shut Up,’ as Heather Duke attempts to take over as queen bee of the school. Louis Hearsey took on the role of JD and he allowed JD’s instability to unravel gradually which was enjoyable to watch and made for a very powerful ‘Meant To Be Yours’ as the show reached its climax.
There were moments of the show which seemed to falter, the pace dropping on occasion and show losing momentum with some lines stumbled over. These however feel like the sort of issues that will naturally settle as the run progresses.
Andy Fickman returns as director of this production and whilst there is much to enjoy and familiar moments that fans will recognise there is also welcome injection of fresh energy and humour found within the show. The set itself is similar to previous incarnations but sometimes restraint is the wisest creative decision and this was certainly the case here. With design by David Shields the set is kept simple with 2 levels but this allows the action to move swiftly and keep up the pace. The lighting design by Ben Cracknell is well considered and the design plays into the iconic Heather blazer colours much to the audience’s delight.
I rarely mention venues in reviews but as Heathers opens this new venue there is a lot of intrigue around it. Whilst I appreciate the Arts’ commitment to keeping a venue going whilst their normal home is being refurbished and I’m all for more arts venues the venue is not without its issues. Even though I was sat very centrally and the rake would normally be more than adequate, due to the stage being very low the sightlines were difficult. Even more importantly was the ambient noise coming in from around the venue. Seeing lots of theatre in London you get used to the rumbling of trains or the odd background noise but the venue is right next to Hyde Park and on a busy London intersection and sirens were going off throughout the show which occasionally distracted from the quieter scenes.
Nearly a decade after first arriving in the UK, Heathers continues to prove why it has become one of the countries most devoted cult musicals. This latest production successfully honours what audiences already love while finding fresh moments of humour, energy and emotion along the way. Although there are still a few rough edges to smooth out and the venue provides some challenges, the strength of the material and the talent of the cast shine through. Consider this your cue to dust off the scrunchie.
Heathers runs until the 22nd August at The Arts before it continues on tour. You can find out more and book tickets here.
If you like this review you might also like my review of The Bodyguard, Jesus Christ Superstar and Beetlejuice.