★★★★★
Anyone who’s seen Heathers: The Musical knows it’s unlike almost any other night at the theatre. Audiences cheer as though they’re at a rock concert, queues for merchandise and the post-show meet-and-greets stretch into the night, and fans, affectionately known as Corn Nuts, arrive in costume to celebrate a show that has become a phenomenon in its own right.
Director Andy Fickman believes the musical’s enduring appeal lies in its honest exploration of bullying, mental health and the pressures of fitting in. Beneath the biting humour and infectious score is a story about outsiders, and it continues to speak to audiences nearly four decades after the original film’s release.
Based on the 1989 cult classic starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, Heathers follows Westerberg High student Veronica Sawyer as she is swept into the orbit of the school’s ruling clique, the Heathers. What begins as a quest for popularity soon spirals into a darkly comic tale of murder, manipulation and teenage angst when she falls for the dangerously charismatic J.D.
As a proud Gen Xer who grew up with the original film, it was heartening to see that many of its most iconic lines remain intact. Each familiar quip was met with knowing cheers from the audience, with the infamous ‘chainsaw’ line proving that Heathers has lost none of its cult appeal.
In her professional debut, Emma Caporaso brings star quality to Veronica. Making the role completely her own, Caporaso wins the audience over with fourth-wall-breaking asides, a cheeky grin and a sparkling stage presence. Her rich vocals shine throughout, especially in her solo I Say No, while her playful charisma ensures Veronica remains someone the audience can’t help but root for.
Caporaso shares an easy chemistry with Conor Beaumont’s J.D., making their increasingly turbulent relationship believable from the outset. Beaumont captures the brooding unpredictability that made Christian Slater’s original film performance so memorable, while still putting his own stamp on the role.
Their sizzling rendition of Dead Girl Walking is a clear Act One highlight, while the heartfelt Seventeen provides a welcome moment of vulnerability, reminding us of the teenagers beneath the show’s dark satire.
If there was any doubt about the enduring legacy of Heathers, it disappeared the moment the Heathers first stepped on stage. Their entrance was met with rock concert-worthy screams, a testament to the almost mythical status these characters have attained.
Calista Nelmes takes Heather Chandler’s ‘mythic bitch’ persona to new heights, relishing every cutting remark with supreme confidence. Abigail Sharp reveals a softer side with Heather McNamara, adding welcome emotional depth beneath the clique’s polished exterior.
Amélia Rojas impresses with a breathtakingly quick change transformation into the red Heather, capturing the character’s posture, mannerisms and commanding presence with uncanny accuracy.
One of modern musical theatre’s signature numbers, Candy Store sends a thrill through the auditorium and lands with all the attitude and vocal firepower audiences have come to love.
Beyond the principal cast, the supporting players deliver some of the evening’s biggest moments. As Kurt and Ram, Nic Van Lits and David Cuny make a fantastic double act. Their complete physical commitment, including spending Act Two in nothing but their underwear, is matched by incredible comic timing and a boundless sense of fun.
Through clever physical comedy, they transform what could have been two one-dimensional bullies into characters the crowd actively looks forward to seeing.
Their demise paves the way for one of the musical’s most unexpectedly hilarious numbers, My Dead Gay Son. As the fathers of Kurt and Ram, Brodie Masini and Ellis Dollan seize the moment with gusto, delivering the tongue-in-cheek anthem with an irresistible sense of joy that brings the house down.
As the well-meaning but hopelessly out-of-touch Ms Fleming, Zoe Gertz delivers a showstopping rendition of Shine a Light. An extended audience interaction has the crowd in hysterics before Gertz brings the number home with a thrilling vocal finish.
One of the evening’s most unexpected emotional highlights comes courtesy of Mel O’Brien as Martha Dunstock. O’Brien infuses Kindergarten Boyfriend with remarkable warmth and vulnerability, her crystal-clear vocals lending the ballad an affecting honesty.
The emotional payoff comes in the finale, where her reconciliation with Caporaso’s Veronica is handled with such tenderness and authenticity that audience members were left reaching for the tissues.
Underpinning the production is a first-rate creative team that fully embraces Heathers’ heightened aesthetic. David Shields’ clever multi-level set transforms seamlessly between locations, while the refreshed costumes move away from the original film’s overtly ’80s styling in favour of a sharper, more contemporary preppy school uniform look.
Martine Wengrow’s assured music direction sees the band deliver Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy’s infectious pop-rock score with the energy and punch of a live concert.
Gary Lloyd’s dynamic choreography ensures each musical number bursts with energy. Ben Cracknell’s lighting design completes the picture, bathing Veronica and the Heathers in neon washes that reinforce their larger-than-life status.
No matter whether you’re a longtime Corn Nut who can recite every line or you are discovering Westerberg High for the first time, this production captures exactly why Heathers: The Musical has become a modern musical theatre phenomenon. Wickedly funny, emotionally affecting and unapologetically bold, it’s easy to see why it inspires the kind of fan devotion usually reserved for pop icons.
Heathers: The Musical runs to 9 August at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast as part of its national tour.
See full dates below.
Tickets: https://tickets.hota.com.au/49744
Website: https://heathersthemusical.com/australia/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/heathersmusicalaunz/
Photo credits: Cameron Grant
2026 Australian Tour Dates:
Gold Coast 30 July – 9 August, HOTA, Home of the Arts Tickets
Canberra 14 – 23 August, Canberra Theatre Centre Tickets
Sydney 26 – 29 August, Coliseum Theatre Tickets
Sydney 1 – 19 September, Roslyn Packer Theatre Tickets
Perth 30 September – 11 October, Regal Theatre Tickets
