A complete guide to all the songs from 'Heathers'

As Heathers returns to the West End, familiarise yourself with the songs, including "Freeze Your Brain," "Our Love is God," and "Seventeen."

Julia Rank8 May, 2024, 23:00

Heathers fans rejoice! The musical adaptation of the ‘80s cult classic is back in the West End, playing at @sohoplace from 22 May–6 July, followed by a UK tour until November.

It’ll be exciting to see how the venue's in-the-round stage design is adapted for this musical about high school nobody Veronica Sawyer (played by Jenna Innes), who is desperate to break into the Heathers clique at school, but quickly learns there's a dark side to popularity.

High school has never been so twisted or thrilling! Learn more about Laurence O’Keefe (Legally Blonde the Musical) and Kevin Murphy’s (Reefer Madness) devilishly warped score here.

Book Heathers tickets on London Theatre.

“Beautiful”

It’s 1 September 1989. Veronica Sawyer prepares for senior year at Westerburg High School and wonders how her peers, apart from her long-time best friend Martha, have changed so much – and not for the better. She looks forward to college, where everything will be different. The Heathers enter the cafeteria. Heather McNamara is head cheerleader with a wealthy father; Heather Duke runs the yearbook and has had implants, and Heather Chandler is the alpha Heather: “They're solid Teflon, never bothered, never harassed / I would give anything to be like that.” Impressed with Veronica’s skill at forging hall passes, they offer to give her a makeover and make her “beautiful.” Suddenly, she’s an entirely different person.

“Candy Store”

Heather Chandler gives Veronica an ultimatum. She can either acts like a Heather or go back to being a nobody. She tricks Veronica into forging a love letter to Martha pretending to be her long-time crush, Ram.

“Fight for Me”

Football players Ram and Kurt try to beat up new boy J.D. but they’re no match for his strength. Veronica is impressed and imagines J.D. fighting for her.

“Freeze Your Brain"

Veronica runs into J.D. at the 7-Eleven on her way to Ram and Kurt’s party. He explains that he’s spent his life moving around, and identical branches of 7-Eleven that sell Slurpees that allow him to numb out his pain are the only stability he knows. He had to grow up quickly after his mother died and advises Veronica, “the sky’s gonna hurt / When it falls / So you’d better start / Building some walls.” Is it well-meaning advice or a threat?

“Big Fun”

The adults are out of town and the party quickly gets out of control as Veronica gets drunk and progresses to weed. It’s a new experience for her: “Dreams are coming true / When people laugh but not at you!” Martha turns up, and is the victim of a cruel prank. Veronica quits the clique and is sick over Heather Chandler, who vows to take revenge.

“Dead Girl Walking”

Condemned to life as a social pariah from Monday onwards, Veronica decides to break into J.D.’s room and seduce him. He’s happy to oblige in this intense rock number.

“The Me Inside of Me”

Veronica and J.D. give Heather Chandler drain cleaner to teach her a lesson and end up killing her, so they decide to forge a suicide note to cover their tracks, presenting Heather as a victim of her beauty, wealth, and popularity. The school sees Heather in a whole new light – she was misunderstood rather than mean. Teacher Ms Fleming is very emotional.

“You’re Welcome”

Veronica is in real danger when she’s alone with Ram and Kurt and has to defend herself from their unwanted sexual advances. This song replaced “Blue” from the original Broadway production, which many people felt made light of the topic of date rape.

“Never Shut Up Again”

Heathers Duke and McNamara clear out the late Chandler’s locker and both claim to be the new queen bee. Ram and Kurt falsely claim that Veronica slept with both of them. Duke takes Chandler’s signature red scrunchie.

“Our Love is God”

The show’s big romantic moment – but not quite. Veronica and J.D. plan to lure Ram and Kurt to the nearby cemetery and shoot them with tranquiliser darts, alongside a forged suicide note stating that they were lovers who had to hide their relationship. J.D. has lied, however, about the bullets and they're actually real. J.D. declares his love to Veronica but it’s clear that he’s a dangerous killer, not a romantic rebel.

“My Dead Gay Son”

Act 2 opens with the funerals. In death, Ram and Kurt have become martyrs sacrificed at the altar of homophobia. Their fathers reveal that their own long friendship is in fact something more, and they will “Go forth and love each other now / Like our boys would have done.”

“Seventeen”

Veronica implores J.D. to stop killing people. They’re both “badly damaged” but can’t they try to be a normal couple who watch TV, bake brownies, and go to the prom? J.D. promises to change his ways.

“Shine a Light”

Ms Fleming organises a televised therapy session to show the country that, following the spate of “suicides,” the school is healing and coming together. She is the only one willing to bare her soul.

“Lifeboat”

That is until Heather McNamara admits to having suicidal thoughts, using a lifeboat as a metaphor for the space that the popular kids inhabit.

“Shine a Light” (Reprise)

With Duke’s jibes stuck in her head, McNamara attempts to take an overdose in the bathroom.

“I Say No”

Veronica stops McNamara just in time but J.D. comes in with a gun. Veronica ends the relationship and vows to make amends for her mistakes.

“Kindergarten Boyfriend”

Martha reflects on her crush on Ram, which has gone on since kindergarten. She dreams about flying over the school with him on a horse with wings. She decides to jump off a bridge in order to escape into her dream indefinitely.

“Yo Girl”

Fortunately, Martha survives. J.D. has paid a visit to Veronica’s parents to tell them tales about her depression and suicidal tendencies. She realises that he is trying to kill her too and she locks herself in her closet.

“Meant to be Yours”

J.D. reveals that he tricked their classmates into signing a petition that is in fact a mass suicide note that he’s penned. He plans to blow up the gym at the pep rally that evening. He opens the closet to find that Veronica has hanged herself.

“Dead Girl Walking" (Reprise)

Veronica’s suicide was a stunt, of course. This time, she’s a literal dead girl walking. She goes to the school where she confronts J.D. in the boiler room. J.D. is shot during their tussle.

“I Am Damaged”

J.D. concedes that he is too damaged to change his ways but, fortunately, Veronica isn’t. The bomb explodes; fortunately, he’s the only victim.

“Seventeen” (Reprise)

Having been to hell and back, Veronica ends the regime of bullying and reconciles with Martha. The students decide to enjoy the small pleasures of being teenagers before childhood is over.