Some shows sit on your theatre wish list for years. Heathers: The Musical has been firmly on mine for a very long time, but thanks to its cult status, actually getting a ticket has proved almost impossible. So finally sitting down in the Lighthouse in Poole last night to see it was a pretty exciting moment — and thankfully, it absolutely lived up to the hype.

Based on the cult 1989 film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, Heathers takes us straight back to the world of 1980s American high school, where popularity is everything, fitting in can be brutal, and the line between teenage angst and something much darker becomes increasingly blurred.

At its heart, it feels a little like a teenage Bonnie and Clyde. Veronica Sawyer finds herself drawn into the world of the Heathers — the school's impossibly popular, intimidating mean girls — and quickly discovers that getting what you think you want can come with some very serious consequences. What starts as an attempt to navigate the brutal social hierarchy of high school soon spirals into murder, manipulation and a rather spectacular crime spree.

And somehow, amongst all of that, it's ridiculously funny.

The show tackles some incredibly dark themes, including bullying, suicide, murder, abuse and the pressure to fit in. While the story is deliberately heightened and often outrageous, there's a surprising amount that feels recognisable. Anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, struggled with school social politics or wondered where they fit in will probably find something that hits a little too close to home.

On the surface, this is a twisted love story between Veronica and JD. But director Andy Fickman tells the cast that the show is actually about Veronica falling back in love with high school — and I think that interpretation really changes how you look at the story.

Because Heathers is, in many ways, a show for those of us who were on the sidelines at school. Those who weren't part of the popular clique. Those who watched the Heathers of the world from the outside and perhaps occasionally wondered what it would be like if the tables were turned.

And, if we're being completely honest, some of the things that happen to those bullies probably crossed our minds at some point. We just didn't have JD's particular approach to problem solving!

Visually, this production is an absolute feast.

The staging is colourful, bold and full of energy, but it's the lighting that really stood out to me. The lighting design plays a huge part in creating the mood of the show, switching from bright, almost cartoon-like high school scenes to much darker and more dramatic moments. There are some genuinely striking transitions, and the lighting helps give the production a much bigger, more cinematic feel.

And then there are the songs.

With music, lyrics and book by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O'Keefe, the score is packed with big numbers, sharp comedy and plenty of songs that stay in your head long after you've left the theatre. The cast absolutely smashed it vocally, with some seriously impressive performances across the board.

Gerardine Sacdalan takes on the role of Veronica Sawyer, made famous in the UK stage production by Carrie Hope Fletcher, and her vocals are quite simply insane. She brings plenty of vulnerability to Veronica while still managing to hold her own as the story becomes increasingly chaotic.

There were some particular vocal highlights for me. Lou Henry's emotional delivery of Lifeboat was stunning, showcasing the range that made her such an incredible Katherine Howard in Six. Sophie Manners' heartbreaking rendition of Kindergarten Boyfriend was another standout, while Jessica Ibadin absolutely blew me away with her vocals in Never Shut Up Again.

And then there is Liberty Stottor as Heather Chandler. She does an excellent job of making you absolutely hate Heather at the beginning of the show — which, let's face it, is exactly what she's supposed to do — while somehow making you warm to her as the story progresses. That's quite a trick to pull off with a character who is so wonderfully awful.

Then there are Kurt and Ram.

Marcus Sodegren and Beau Jackson provide some of the show's biggest laughs as the two football-playing bullies, who spend a frankly impressive amount of the production dressed in little more than pants and socks. Their comic timing is brilliant, and every time they appeared, you knew you were probably in for another ridiculous moment.

One of my favourite scenes, though, came at the funeral of Kurt and Ram, where their dads deliver My Dead Gay Son.

The message behind the song is an important one, dealing with acceptance and the unconditional love that parents should have for their children. But the way it's performed makes the scene wonderfully lighthearted without losing that underlying message. John Gurdian and Reuben Browne have such fantastic chemistry that they were an absolute joy to watch.

Something else that really struck me about this performance was the audience.

The theatre was packed with a predominantly young crowd, and a huge number had turned up in Heathers cosplay. There were Heathers, Veronica and JD costumes everywhere, and it was brilliant to see.

Remember, the original film was released in 1989 — before a lot of the audience had even been born.

Yet here they are, dressing up, singing along and completely embracing a show that was originally made for a generation before them. That's something pretty special. It shows just how much Heathers continues to resonate, while the touring production is clearly creating a whole new generation of hardcore fans with every stop.

And then, of course, there are the songs.

With music, lyrics and book by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O'Keefe, the score is packed with big numbers, sharp comedy and songs that can move from hilarious to heartbreaking in the space of a few minutes. The cast absolutely smashed it vocally, and the sheer range required from this show is impressive.

What I loved most about Heathers is how effortlessly it throws everything together. It's dark, it's funny, it's colourful, it's completely bonkers in places, and yet underneath all of that is a story about fitting in, friendship, bullying, power and the consequences of desperately wanting to be accepted.

It's a twisted love story. It's a comedy. It's a murder story. It's a commentary on teenage culture. And, perhaps most importantly, it's a story for anyone who has ever felt like they didn't quite belong.

After waiting so long to finally see it, I'm very happy to say that Heathers was absolutely worth the wait.

If you've never seen it before, this is definitely one to catch while it's at Lighthouse in Poole this week. Just don't expect your idea of a high school musical to involve quite so much murder… or quite so many pairs of pants.

Heathers The Musical is at Lighthouse Pool until 3rd October, tickets available here https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/heathers-the-musical/

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