I saw this musical about five years ago and remember being very impressed, although, for the life of me, I couldn’t recall why, so put it down to age. I seem to be putting a lot of things down to age nowadays, including wine, so it could possibly have been that. As soon as it began, the penny dropped and all was good. This is not your average Grease-type boy meets girl high school love story, but a very dark work which, over the intervening years, seems to have acquired a cult following placing it almost in the Rocky Horror Show category.
The cast
I had to come into Leeds early to pick up my reglazed specs, another reminder of age, and had noticed that there were a few young, and a couple of not so young, ladies wandering around, dressed in tartan miniskirts, knee length stockings and colourful, mainly red, short blazers. I’m not complaining, au contraire, it brightened up an otherwise dull Tuesday afternoon, but it wasn’t until I got to the theatre that I realised the reason for this fashion statement. In contrast, when I went for a pre-show comfort break there was a chap using the facilities, clad in red varsity bomber jacket, blue jeans and white sneakers, who really should have known better, but who am I to judge?
Jessica Ibadin, Liberty Stottor and Lou Henry as Heathers Duke, Chandler and McNamara respectively
Before I begin I would like to issue a trigger warning – Nudity. Don’t get excited, that was the only category of shock factor NOT present in the production. The programme lists ‘haze, loud noises (including gunshots), flashing lights, strobe lighting, strong language and adult themes including murder, suicide, sexual violence and reference to eating disorders.’ There was also a scene depicting the consumption of ultra processed foods.
The story, set in 1989, centres around Veronica Sawyer, a 17 year-old girl starting a new academic year at Westerberg High School, which is made up of a range of students but the hierarchy is topped by three rich, entitled girls all named Heather, hence the title of the show. There is cheerleader, Heather McNamara; bulimic, Heather Duke and ‘mythic bitch’, Heather Chandler. The other main characters are Veronica’s best friend, Martha Dunnstock, who is somewhat overweight, hence her nickname Dumptruck, and two members of the football team, quarterback, Ram Sweeny and Kurt Kelly, who do their best to bed all the girls, more by force than charm, a characteristic in which they are both totally lacking. All the above illustrate 1980s values – or lack thereof – whereby, if you had the money or social status, you could get away with just about anything. I don’t think I need to elaborate on the high profile historical cases which have been coming to light over the past few years to illustrate that point.
Heather Chandler (Liberty Stottor), Heather McNamara (Lou Henry) and Heather Duke (Jessica Ibadin) size up Veronica Sawyer (Gerardine Sacdalan) for her makeover.
Veronica chose to protect herself by becoming a ‘Heather’ which she did by utilising her counterfeiting skills and forging a document which gave the original Heathers an excuse to avoid several detentions. Once accepted and being spruced up by the clique, she was ‘persuaded’ to compose a love letter to her friend, Martha, in Ram’s handwriting, in order to cause her acute embarrassment, which eventually led to her attempting suicide.
Enter Jason Dean – JD – who had moved to town with his father, a demolition contractor specialising in felling buildings by the use of explosives. It transpired that his late mother had committed suicide in a unique way by entering a building just before her husband blew it up and was waving at JD through a window as it exploded. On the face of it the experience didn’t seem to have affected him too much, but as the story unfolded he was not the level-headed affable chap he seemed to be, but a warped monster. His initial Dr Jekyll persona attracted Veronica and the two became lovers. He convinced her that he could solve the problems with Heather Chandler, and the footballers, but this involved him summoning up his inner Mr Hyde and bumping them off, crimes covered up by Veronica forging suicide notes in the victims’ handwriting. As well as a nod to the aforementioned Robert Louis Stevenson novella there was also a touch of the Charles Dickens with ghosts of the recently dispatched characters appearing in order to question the living on their next actions.
Beau Jackson as Ram Sweeney and Markus Södergren as Kurt Kelly
Every part of this musical worked beautifully. The acting was brilliant, as were the singing, dancing, music and the tech elements. It morphed from promising to be a frothy adolescent love story to examining the potentially dire consequences of seemingly mundane actions and pranks. It is as relevant today as it was thirty-five years ago, if not more so, with the spread of the internet magnifying the destruction to lives caused by a brainless ‘prank’ now being seen, not only by those present at the event, but the whole of the planet, whilst affording the perpetrator anonymity.
Sophie Manners as Martha (Dumptruck) Dunnstock
The events which follow, and some which preceded, are concerned with relationships and are fairly complex in their particulars, but, despite the shenanigans, this is basically a morality play, thus it is the outcome of them and the messages delivered which are the bases of the piece.
Although dark, there was plenty of humour, delivered with perfect timing, ranging from caricature, through put downs to subtle asides. Oh yes, and a piece with a mobility scooter, delivered in silence, which brought the house down.
Gerardine Sacdalan as Veronica Sawyer with Louis Hearsley as JD – Jason Dean
The names of the actors involved are listed under the photographs but the stars of the show, as previously noted, were the audience. From the very first line ‘1st September’ which raised a huge cheer, to the catchphrases, obviously extremely familiar to the devotees, such as the ghost of Helen Chandler’s subtle gem, ‘Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw’, the faithful were totally involved. There was even a touch of pantomime, with a chap in the audience picked out for special treatment.
This really is a one of a kind musical and well worth seeing, you can pretend to be offended when you discuss it later with other people. I only hope that the morals are grasped by everyone who sees it, in that most of us are damaged in some way but we can learn to be proud of ourselves for being who we are, rather than demean others to make us look good in comparison. It doesn’t work and only makes you look like an even bigger pillock than you thought you were.
Should it ever come back to the wonderful Leeds Grand Theatre, I will certainly remember why I thought it was so great. Now, where’s the corkscrew.
Heathers The Musical runs at Leeds Grand Theatre until Saturday, 5th September, 2026. To book please go to https://leedsheritagetheatres.com/whats-on/heathers-2026
To see what else is on at Leeds Heritage Theatres it is https://leedsheritagetheatres.com/whats-on
Photographs by Pamela Raith
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