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Barbara Loots
The theatrical cult phenomenon, HEATHERS - THE MUSICAL, is heating up the Artscape Arena stage as the students of the Waterfront Theatre School enthrall packed houses with their vibrant and gutsy performances.
HEATHERS - THE MUSICAL is based on the cult classic 1988 film, and it delves into the dark underbelly of high school life. In a world where school shootings, bullying and consequential suicide so often make headlines around the world, this musical packs a punch on many levels. The score is catchy even when it deals with such heavy themes underscoring the need for popularity and acceptance in an all too cruel world. It cleverly packages its message as catchy earworms that linger.
The Waterfront Theatre School cast comes together to bring a strong ensemble piece to the stage under the direction of Paul Griffiths and the musical direction of Garth Tavares. The choreography by Ursula Lubbe, supervised by Genna Galloway, is energetic and visually captivating, the perfect counter to balance the heavy topic driven by the narrative of this cult musical. The costume design by Delia Sainsbury and set design Saskia Bormans embrace the style and time of this musical’s setting to give the cast the perfect playground within which to navigate the hormonal turmoil of 17 year olds trapped in a small suburban town.
The Waterfront Theatre School students have jumped into the teenage angst that feeds the treacherous social hierarchy that sets the scene at Westerberg High School with great gusto.
The cast features Liesel Irene Horn as Veronica Sawyer; William Young as JD; Rachael Saunders as Heather Chandler, Azande Dube as Heather Duke; Tyde Hickman as Heather Macnamara; Kudzai K Kamwendo as Kurt Kelly; John Marshall as Ram Sweeney; Saskia Bormans as Martha Dunstock; Katey Measures as Mrs Flemming; Ethan Dunk as Bill Sweeney and Iain Webb as Paul Kelly.
Apart from showcasing great vocal ability, Horn and Saunders impress with their acting too, as they navigate the witty text that drives the story. They also show great rapport with the rest of the main cast, of which Bormans definitely deserves a mention for shining in the role of Martha Dunstock. Dube and Duke bring the sass to round up the Heathers along with Saunders, while Young as the rebellious JD makes you feel emotionally conflicted about this trouble kid with his skewed anarchist informed ideals of freedom.
The show, although not flawless with some pitchy moments and technical gremlins (which made it difficult to hear all the performers during their belt out solos), reveals a group of talented youngsters ready to take the industry by storm. I was very impressed that they did not show any sign of being shaken when technical issues impacted their performances; they merely soldiered on like true professionals.
If you were one of the lucky ones to grab tickets to this vibrant sold-out show, you’ll be able to see the cast of the HEATHERS - THE MUSICALS strutting their stuff at the Artscape Arena until 27 July 2024. If not, I urge you to take note of the names of the cast and see where else you can catch them next as they continue to grow on their theatre journey.