"You're a West End Musical Who Can't Drive": A Review of Clueless The Musical

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Clueless The Musical is a brand new musical that is so totally creative and brilliant. To start, the music of Clueless (the 1995 film) is a very distinct mixtape of bright, youthful pop songs that remain truthful to the trendy and fresh-faced cast of characters. (Think Kids in America by Kim Wilde and Supergrass’s Alright, both songs that feature on the soundtrack). I was interested to see how this would translate into original musical theatre, and luckily, they called upon KT Tunstall, an established singer/songwriter who is well versed in the quirks of 90s-00s pop. You may know her from her 2005 hit Suddenly I See. Tunstall wrote the music for the musical, with Glenn Slater as lyricist, and the electric guitars, synth-y feel and slight blend of different styles and genres means they really could have been blasted out of a teen’s Boombox in 1995. This authenticity make the whole musical feel so much more camp and upbeat. There’s even a whole scene practically dedicated to the Backstreet Boys (as well as other 90s boy bands) which was hilarious and completely added to the already ridiculous and retro aesthetic.  

I have similar notes on the production design. All costume departments should be taking notes of Paloma Young’s work: stylish, colourful and a perfect encapsulation of the sub-cultures of Beverly High School. However, the only truly notable aspect of Mukiko Suzuki MacAdams’ scenic design was the stunning floor-to-ceiling wardrobes stock full of Cher’s beautifully arranged clothes and shoes. That’s not to say the rest of the set design wasn’t impressive, just that the majority of it had to reflect a typical high school or mall, which it did effectively but perhaps not entirely innovatively. This was also an observation I had for lighting and sound, that apart from some interesting spotlights and colour washes or SFX, I struggle to remember any particularly unique moments. 

That is not the case for the stunning performances of the entire cast, however. Emma Flynn was clearly born to play Cher and she is perfect for the role: ditzy yet quick-witted, naïve yet worldly, kind yet tactless. And, like Alicia Silverstone did 30 years ago, Flynn allows Cher to become her best self over the course of the narrative and proves to young girls that being feminine and girly can be powerful, beautiful and of course, iconic. Another stand out performer for me was Blake Jordan, playing the cluelessly charming Travis. Jordan’s ability to completely steal the scene in every moment through his natural physical comedy and complete ease and confidence handling the character was fascinating to watch. Both him and Romona Lewis-Malley, playing Tai, had the greatest chemistry and spark in the whole show and I was impressed that the musical decided to make Travis and Tai’s connection a bit more of a feature than in the film.   

All in all, this musical was passionate and clearly handled with care and devotion, something I could have only dreamt of for an adaptation of such a hugely popular and ICONIC film. 

20th February 2025, Trafalgar Theatre

    
    

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