CLUELESS is a new musical comedy based on the Paramount Pictures classic film. The modern spin on Jane Austen’s Emma gets another timeless makeover from the original film’s writer-director alongside a majorly acclaimed creative team.
Featuring a book by the iconic voice of a generation Amy Heckerling (writer-director of Clueless, director of Fast Times at Ridgemont High), an original score by the multi-platinum singer-songwriter KT Tunstall (writer and performer of such celebrated hits as “Suddenly I See” and “Black Horse and The Cherry Tree”), and lyrics by Grammy® winner and three-time Tony® nominee Glenn Slater (Sister Act The Musical, Tangled), CLUELESS is directed by the acclaimed Rachel Kavanaugh (Half a Sixpence).
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.
Granted, I’m not the ‘target’ demographic. But are millennials and Generation Z, especially those around the age of Heckerling’s high-schoolers, being catered for either? The evening adheres to a pre-digital age, where it’s cool to have a pager, despite the affinities between Cher and co’s image-consciousness and the selfie culture of today. Off-Broadway in 2018, the show featured 80s and 90s songs restyled with different lyrics. That unusual juke-box mode has been binned; here, instead, songwriter KT Tunstall and lyricist Glenn Slater have fashioned numbers designed to sound in keeping with the period but which are so generic they don’t ring with real-world authenticity.
Gals and gays, welcome to your new favourite musical. Clueless, the West End tuner adapted from the 1995 teen film comedy, isn’t going to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, but my goodness, it’s a lot of fun. If you cheered on Elle Woods, harbour a secret crush on Regina George or fancied shopping in the Heathers’ candy store, you’re probably gonna love this.
| 2025 | West End |
West End |
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