Heathers: The Musical - U.K. Tour (Again!)

[biffo]

...And it was an amazing show!
The work the talented cast did to make the show work was nothing short of astounding!

[undeuxtrois]

Caught this last night for the first time and it was a decent night out. The cast were really good but I didn’t realise just how cringy the show actually is? Still had a good time but I’m not sure I’d go again

[steg]

I saw this Thursday night in Manchester, after an aborted attempt in Liverpool a few weeks ago. I went in fairly blind, having heard a few of the songs but not knowing the plot. Overall I thought it was fine but I wouldn't make a special effort to see it again. The cast were all very good, we had understudy May Tether on as Veronica. The mostly younger audience were lively and engaged with the performance but also pretty well behaved. It was good to be back in a theatre for the first time in 21 months.

[emeraldbaudelaire]

Heather's have hit Belfast, last night was also the debut of Benjamin Karran as JD and my friend who was there told me he was great in the role.

I'm hoping to catch an understudy on Saturday when I'm there for the matinee. I'd love to get the chance to see May Tether as Veronica because the recordings of her sound great!

[jj9692]

Oct 13, 2021 9:27:58 GMT emeraldbaudelaire said:

Heather's have hit Belfast, last night was also the debut of Benjamin Karran as JD and my friend who was there told me he was great in the role.

I'm hoping to catch an understudy on Saturday when I'm there for the matinee. I'd love to get the chance to see May Tether as Veronica because the recordings of her sound great!

Benjamin Karran was really good. Actually ended up being the stand out of the show for me.

Also I was “Steve” last night. Never wanted the ground to swallow me up as much in my life.

Felt a bit odd about the programmes being presented around the foyer as QR codes for your phone. I really missed actually having a programme in my hands. Just glad I had my phone with me because I forgot it last week at Six.

[danb]

Whilst most ‘companies’ have been accommodating and generous regarding tickets and date shifting during the pandemic I’m not really enjoying how ‘Heathers’ or ATG won’t honour the location of my price promise tickets having rescheduled the show many many times (well 3 or 4). I had purchased £13 front row seats but on discovering I’m busy on the latest rescheduled date I’ve asked to be moved to mid-week. I have been rewarded with tickets in row H of the hideous bench seating upper circle instead which are now the best available £13 seats. None of this would bother me at all if it was a massive sell out soaraway success. But it has sold maybe 10% of the house that night and the cast will be performing to the front ten central rows unless they have some huge media campaign planned between now and November to shift the other 1800 seats. Maybe they need to pay for a new cardboard slushie machine? Or maybe I’ll just end up not bother going and it’ll be two less pairs of hands to applaud the production, buy drinks, programmes, ice cream and snacks etc.

[emeraldbaudelaire]

Attended todays matinee at the Grand Opera House. A great reception from the audience, it drew a mostly teenage crowd but they were all behaved and the whole house had a great time.


Full cast on for the performance and strong voices from every single lead role. The actress playing Heather Duke was a stand out for me I like the new song they wrote for her and she definitely had the most convincing accent.

Rebecca Wickes is amazing too I was surprised that her Veronica was a much more comedic take than I've seen her timing is impeccable and her physical comedy is spot on, there aren't really any weak links in the cast. They're all very young and energetic with big voices!

One gripe I do have is that the souvenir Brochure they have for sale doesn't feature photography of the current touring cast, instead it has pictures of Carrie Hope Fletcher and the latest London cast also it was priced at £10 which I thought was a little steep compared to other brochures I've collected considering the circumstances.

[Paul]

I was at last night's performance and I have to disagree with you about Rebecca Wickes, the girl cannot act. Yes the role of Veronica is open to interpretation but that character did not, in any way, resemble a real person. She acts like Sheridan Smith after drinking about 50 energy drinks. Her singing was lovely but her acting was irritating. Not sure who was playing Heather Chandler but I feel her idea of being a bitch is to shout all the time. That portrayal just didn't work for me either.

I really enjoyed Martha, Heather Duke, Heather McNamara and Ms. Fleming. I felt they were the strongest actors of the evening.

[emeraldbaudelaire]

We may have to agree to disagree on Rebecca I really liked her interpretation but to each their own, I guess it's a matter of preference.

I am glad to see the love for Merryl Ansah she really stood out for me not only was she beautiful but her vocals and dancing during her solo were fantastic.

[fiyerorocher]

Oct 17, 2021 10:36:42 GMT Paul said:

I was at last night's performance and I have to disagree with you about Rebecca Wickes, the girl cannot act. Yes the role of Veronica is open to interpretation but that character did not, in any way, resemble a real person. She acts like Sheridan Smith after drinking about 50 energy drinks. Her singing was lovely but her acting was irritating. Not sure who was playing Heather Chandler but I feel her idea of being a bitch is to shout all the time. That portrayal just didn't work for me either.

I really enjoyed Martha, Heather Duke, Heather McNamara and Ms. Fleming. I felt they were the strongest actors of the evening.

Ahh sounds like the horrific direction from the latter half of the recent London run has made it to the tour. I still have no idea why they're doing it - it is truly abysmal. Veronica becomes more of a caricature than a human. It's probably not the actress' fault, though. Christina Bennington was directed in the same way.
What a shame to see they won't let it die, as it's put me off ever seeing the show again. I spent the entire time cringing for the poor actors forced to over-act beyond belief. 

[Dr Tom]

I saw the first night of the week in Wimbledon last night. Fairly full, but not a sell out. Very happy with my second row aisle seat as a price promise purchase.

Really enjoyed this. I preferred this cast to the recent West End cast (even though I have a soft spot for Jordan Luke Gage). And no one could ever complain about Liam Doyle and Rory Phelan not keeping their bodies in top condition for the audience to appreciate.

Rebecca Wickes is a great Veronica. I didn't find her over the top. Simon Gordon had a different take on J.D. More comedy, but I think it worked. Both are excellent singers.

It's amazing how much younger the (male student) cast look when they're clean shaved as well, unlike their publicity photos.

There is availability for the rest of the week for anyone who wants to attend, especially for the Friday matinee. Not too many obvious deals about though, unless you are under 25. Still, if you are okay with the subject matter, this is a good night out.

[jacob]

Seeing the show tonight, quite surprised as to why there’s a matinee performance showing when the majority of the Hippodrome seats are still unsold ..

[shady23]

The matinee has been cancelled due to cast illness so I assume someone has got on a train to make tonight's show go ahead.

[jacob]

Nov 11, 2021 12:57:48 GMT shady23 said:

The matinee has been cancelled due to cast illness so I assume someone has got on a train to make tonight's show go ahead.

Will update with the cast board later, part of me still thinks it’s due to poor sales !!

[danb]

Totally! There were about a hundred seats sold. Covid has been the perfect excuse for cancelling poorly sold shows. I noticed that Englebert Humperdink (ask yer Nan) has just cancelled his tour due to ill health, yet it was on both papering sites I use and had sold virtually nothing. Great time to get a chest infection eh?

Going tonight too Jacob.

[ensembleswings]

I saw the show last night, from what I could tell they were 2 company members down (May & Georgina) but it was by no means a sell out. So it wouldn’t surprise me if it was poor sells that have led to them cancelling the matinee. Either that or they need a ex cast member to play a role but neither Rebecca or Bailey sounded at all ill last night.

[TallPaul]

The Saturday matinee in Sheffield was cancelled, with five of the cast ill, so it does happen.

[ensembleswings]

Charlotte Jaconelli is returning to play Ms Fleming. Looks like Bailey had to also call out, shame she sounded great last night but that’s the nature of illness/injury I guess. Only wish this show bothered casting swings. Would save them all so much hassle

[hitmewithurbethshot]

I think they made a mistake having 2 weekday matinees a week in each venue, it’s hardly a show you can take school kids to and there’s not going to be much appeal to the 65+ demographic which make up the bulk of those audiences

[shady23]

They'd be better doing a late matinee, maybe 4pm on a Friday and then another at 8.

[jacob]

Nov 11, 2021 20:23:32 GMT shady23 said:

They'd be better doing a late matinee, maybe 4pm on a Friday and then another at 8.

easily agreed, I’m sat here now and the theatre looks almost full ..
tbf I’ve had these tickets booked for a veryyy long time

[danb]

Pretty much a full house and a very receptive audience. I thoroughly enjoyed it with a few reservations. Rebecca Wickes Veronica just wasn’t for me, especially in act one. Like a cackling chipmunk for lots of it, but much better in act two. Likewise Heather Chandler. As soon as she stops just shouting and starts acting she was hilarious. Standouts were Kurt & Ram…absolutely hilarious…so many extra bits and pieces where they’ve worked the material into something really funny. Mhairi’s Martha deserves a mention as does Heather Mac (who my son thought would have been a much better Veronica). Hero of the show though was Char Jaconelli picking up Fleming after nearly 3 years, and then she’d only covered it. x

[jacob]

Nov 11, 2021 22:56:00 GMT danb said:

Pretty much a full house and a very receptive audience. I thoroughly enjoyed it with a few reservations. Rebecca Wickes Veronica just wasn’t for me, especially in act one. Like a cackling chipmunk for lots of it, but much better in act two. Likewise Heather Chandler. As soon as she stops just shouting and starts acting she was hilarious. Standouts were Kurt & Ram…absolutely hilarious…so many extra bits and pieces where they’ve worked the material into something really funny. Mhairi’s Martha deserves a mention as does Heather Mac (who my son thought would have been a much better Veronica). Hero of the show though was Char Jaconelli picking up Fleming after nearly 3 years, and then she’d only covered it. x

my thoughts exactly.. a more reserved / vulnerable Veronica makes so much more sense in my mind (as Winona portrays her) compared to Becca’s performance:( I can see why a more bubbly character is needed for the stupid twizzler chewing gags and cackles but it only makes her just .. annoying lol

[fiyerorocher]

I don't think this is a performer problem, I think it's a direction issue. Christina was the same at the end of the most recent London run and it was utterly intolerable, but that wasn't how she started in the role at all.

[jacob]

Nov 11, 2021 23:39:43 GMT fiyerorocher said:

I don't think this is a performer problem, I think it's a direction issue. Christina was the same at the end of the most recent London run and it was utterly intolerable, but that wasn't how she started in the role at all.

assumed it was this after I posted, I don’t mean any frustration then towards Wickes as she can definitely do the role my first time seeing the show in person after telling myself not to watch any yt recording of a production, it’s a decent show but wouldn’t put it that far up on my list ..