Clueless, the Musical
Rating: ★★★
Venue: Trafalgar Theatre, London
Cast: Emma Flynn, Keelan McAuley, Chyna-Rose Frederick, Romona Lewis-Malley, Isaac J Lewis, Rabi Kondé, Blake Jordan, Max Mirza, Ryan O’Donnell, Emily Florence and Imelda Warren-Green

Cher Horowitz is the most popular student at Beverly Hills High, renowned for her unique talent at finding love for others. She's about to embark on her biggest project yet – making over her awkward new friend, Tai, and setting her up with the most handsome boy in school. But what happens to Cher when, for the first time, everything is not perfect? This fresh musical comedy is fun, fashionable, and, like, so way cool.

Ugh as if! We’re back. It’s the 1990s. Plaid is cool, skate boards are a legitimate form of transportation and no heel or hat is too much for high school. This is Clueless, A New Musical. 

Another instillation of movie cult classic to treading the boards. Another period piece, to teen romance, to West End show. Another nostalgia train for us millennials to ride. And ride it we shall, as we sigh… not another coming-of-age vintage revisited in our 30s! But we love it really.

This is the second visit to Amy Heckerling’s Clueless the theatre world has seen. With its first rendition being a sell-out jukebox musical back in 2018. This time around we are visiting with singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and lyricist Glenn Slater. Hoping to deliver us back to the world of grunge, pop and boyband one-hit wonders… 

The first act does lack the energy that an opening really needs. And with no show stopping numbers throughout, this does hinder the shows likeability as a musical. But the second act. The second act is where it’s at. It brings ‘it.’ Doing its all to redeem the first. The whole theatre wakes up with Isaac J Lewis’s flare as Christian. The injection of him and his character revives the giggling schoolgirl I came here to be. 

This cast is strong; highly skilled and proudly taking us on this journey. Emma Flynn and Keelan McAuley bring Cher and Josh to life with incredible skill and care. Flynn is the epitome of Cher. Portraying her from the flick of a wrist with physical comedy to her powerful vocals. With the assistance of Paloma Young’s perfectly Clueless costumes, it's impossible not to be captivated by Flynn’s Cher. 

McAuley brings Josh to the West End stage with his compelling vocals, putting weight behind Josh’s accusations that Cher, no matter how well intentioned, treats her peers as ‘Human Barbies.’ A cringeworthy but accurate description of what our duchess does.

The show is aware of itself from the beginning. Poking fun and delivering those beloved Heckerling one-liners. “You’re a virgin who can’t drive” is a statement that stays with you, even 30 years later. This does make the piece fun and a little bit spicy. It's reminiscent of the 1995 movie, but not bold enough to stand on its own. If you didn’t fall for Cher, Dionne, Tai, Christian or Josh back then, you are unlikely to be falling for this show now. 

You can book tickets to Clueless, the Musical, here.

Review by Yasmin

**photo credit: Pamela Raith**