At Hope Mill Theatre, ‘tis the season for what has become their annual horror musical, following the bloody triumph of rock musical Lizzie and slapstick spoof Young Frankenstein. This year’s programme brings Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s 1982 killer comedy, Little Shop of Horrors– and it’s blooming brilliant.
In a rundown flower shop on Skid Row, owner Mushnik (Michael Starke) is at the end of his tether and ready to close shop, leaving aspiring botanist Seymour (Jed Berry) and the insecure, kind-hearted Audrey (Maisie Smith) jobless. It’s time for Seymour to pull out the big guns and showcase his strange and interesting plant, Audrey II, in the shop; which brings fame, money and deadly consequences.
Ashman and Menken’s partnership is legendary with their most famous collaborations earning them Academy Awards for their work on Disney’s Aladdin and The Little Mermaid- the latter’s ‘I Want’ song, ‘’Part of Your World’ clearly inspired by Little Shop’s “Somewhere That’s Green”. The sound blends early Motown with doo-wop and 1960’s rock’n’roll, engaging audiences from the off with catchy melodies and soaring vocals. The committed cast are vocally strong throughout, from The Urchins’ Crystal (Psalms-Nissi Myers-Reid), Ronette (Gabrielle Davina Smith) and Chiffon (Rio Maye) bringing power and heavenly harmonies to the vulnerably emotional delivery of Smith.
Directed by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, Smith as our leading lady is perfection as Audrey in what could easily be overly acted; her nuances are subtle but powerful, particularly in her more exposed scenes letting the audience in just enough to root for Audrey but without her being a victim. Berry is a powerhouse as the clumsy, well-meaning Seymour; his charm is infectious and embodies the character from start to finish, while Starke brings his usual and much-loved comedic talents to the grumpy yet opportunistic Mushnik. The camp is taken to 110% when Audrey’s villainous and sadistic boyfriend Orin is introduced, played with gusto by Benjamin Yates. The audience should despise this character, but Yates uses his moments to soften the audience and bring us on side, which makes the harder hitting scenes even tougher to swallow.
Design from Morgan Large encompasses set, costume and puppetry which takes over the intimate space and is lit beautifully by Rory Beaton, immersing the audience with effective rope lighting and drawing attention to the action while breaking the fourth wall in preparation for the book to do the same. Likewise, transitions and scene setting are sleek with the designers working harmoniously to ensure a bold audience experience.
This revival is everything a production should be: perfectly acted, vibrantly designed and with camp source material that will thrill audiences until the final bite!
Playing at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre until Saturday 28th November, further information and booking details can be found here. The production then transfers to Liverpool’s Playhouse theatre from Thursday 3rd December until Saturday 9th January, with booking details here.
Tickets received in exchange for an honest review. #AD
Photography by Danny Kaan.
