In a comedic exploration of how far you would go for success, Little Shop of Horrors fills two hours with fantastic vocals, engaging acting, and one truly devious plant.
The show begins with two strong opening numbers, ‘Prologue (Little Shop of Horrors)’ and ‘Downton (Skid Row),’ which perfectly set the tone not only for where the show will take place, but lets you know right off the bat what a strong cast you’ll have the privilege of watching.
Every cast member brings something to the table. Morgan Flannigan’s use of physical comedy as Seymour makes the character dynamic, engaging, and hilarious. Nicole Sureda Findon’s vocals as Audrey gave me chills — my former theatre directors would’ve been proud of her projection. The ‘stoop urchins,’ an ever-present Greek chorus, were sensational, their harmonies providing an expertly blended backing track throughout the show. Andrew Lodge deserves praise for switching between several characters seamlessly, most notable among them the threatening yet laughter-inducing dentist. Lorenzo Grattepanche played an engaging and very French Mr. Mushnik, and finally, Josh McPherson, despite rarely actually appearing onstage, makes his mark as Audrey II.
I found the show only got funnier as it went on and you became more familiar with this eclectic cast of characters. I particularly enjoyed the dynamic between the flower shop trio of Seymour, Audrey, and Mr. Mushkin, who at times act like a rag-tag team of coworkers, while also portraying a bizarre blended family dynamic.
And of course, what is Little Shop of Horrors without the ever-present monstrous plant that is Audrey II? The set and prop design teams brought her to life expertly, capturing her growth through the use of puppetry and ultimately, much sturdier set design. I found myself constantly wondering ‘How did they do that?,’ which lets you know just how much theatre magic was achieved in this show. Though I found the backing music to be slightly weak at the start of the show — almost painfully evident that it’s a prerecorded track — by the end, it fit seamlessly into the performance.
For fans of musical theatre, this is not one to miss. Despite being allotted an 11:30am slot, the cast brings enough energy for everyone, and you’ll find the show’s soundtrack running in your head long after you leave the theatre.
Little Shop of Horrors is running until 3o August at Alba Theatre at Braw Venues at Hill Street. Buy tickets here.
Image provided for press use.
