“Charming, glamorous, and camply entertaining musical fun”
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, classic film ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ fills the intimate confines of Hope Mill Theatre with energy. Having never seen the original (unlike everyone else on the planet, yes), it was interesting to watch it with very little context or nostalgic baggage, but of course it’s impossible to say what this production was like in reference to the ‘86 film.
Right from the start, the play is undeniably very glamorous. Even though the colour palette is almost entirely greens and browns- the colours of man-eating plantlife, of course- there are flashes of brighter colours. The blue dress worn by Maisie Smith’s Audrey in the opening scenes not only pops against the earthier tones but highlights Seymour’s love for her, contrasted with the surroundings of Skid Row. Watching their relationship develop is only made more charming by the juxtaposition with the enormous, very impressive, plant puppet (piloted by Imogen Khan, Julia Frost, and Christopher Dobson) behind them at all times. There are lots of intricate details in the set design, which really help Skid Row and Mr Mushnik’s flower shop feel lived in.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ does an excellent job of feeling cohesive despite the potential for jarring contrast between the serious and campy elements- in particular with Audrey’s abusive dentist boyfriend Orin Scrivello, played by Benjamin Yates. The shifts from the punchlines and absurdity of his sexy motorcycling sadism to the more sensitive, tender, and sincere moments are handled with care where in a weaker script they could have been disastrous.
The seemingly unintuitive choice to have the first half be twice as long as the second works surprisingly well, with the show never losing speed. The songs, mostly very catchy, balance a range of tempos without ever dropping interest, even if some fail to stand out in the memory. ‘Suddenly Seymour’ and ‘Somewhere Green’, along with the opening and closing introductory songs, are standouts. All of the performances are great, full of confidence that makes it all look easy. Marcus Ayton’s delivery as the voice of Audrey II is superb, while Jed Berry (Seymour) has some absolutely delightful facial expressions. The chorus (Rio Maye, Psalms-Nissi Myers-Reird, and Gabrielle Davina Smith as Chiffon, Crystal, and Ronette) glides fluidly across the stage; their interactions with the main characters are always funny, in particular the scene where they all gang up on Scrivello.
The lighting is brilliant. The lights strung over the top of the stage and the heads of some audience members is something I’ve never seen before, and having them flash red whenever Audrey II eats someone is simply genius. There’s also a very funny use of a spotlight, and later on, a lamp.
It’s not perfect. The ending feels a little rushed, and dialogue was repeatedly unclear or drowned out by the music. And to make a wider point- as a culture, we really need to stop clapping after every song in a musical. It breaks immersion far too much, and the lengths of performances would probably be halved without it. But overall, ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is just great fun. Strong performances are supported by the beautiful puppets and lighting in particular, and the whole night is full of energy and glamour.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ plays at Hope Mill Theatre until 28th November before transferring to Liverpool – Tickets here.