LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS - THEATRE REVIEW (UK Tour)

L I T T L E S H O P O F H O R R O R S

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New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

★★★★

THEATRE | Kyle Pedley

TURNING OVER AN OLD LEAF...

Sell A Door TC are doing some terrific work on the UK theatre scene of late. Whilst their recent take on American Idiot may not have been the strongest iteration of the show yet seen, it was still warmly received (particularly during it’s London tenure), and other recent output including the likes of Footloose and Avenue Q have cemented the relatively-new company’s voice as one to both listen to and respect in the world of theatre. In many ways, their latest foray into musical theatre, a spirited, characterful return to that Little Shop of Horrors, is their most distinctive and complete achievement yet.

Much like Avenue Q, Sell A Door and the creatives behind Little Shop tap instantly into what makes their show tick, and what they can bring best to audiences both new and familiar with the brand. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s darkly comic, quirkily soulful and gleefully mean smorgasbord of 50’s B-movie schlock and 60’s doo-wop, rock and Motown is captured here brilliantly, complete with slight rough-around-the-edges finish and a more intimate staging and ensemble that resonates with the show’s original off-Broadway roots and charm. When Broadway coughed up over $8 million in the early 2000’s to put on a beefed up, supersized incarnation of Horrors, critics understandably lamented that in doing so the intimacy and characterful bijou had been lost.

"X Factor alumni Rhydian hilariously chews up every

inch of scenery he can with relish as both a sadistic

dentist and a myriad of bit parts in Act II."

That’s not to say this current production looks or sounds sub-par by any stretch, though. Far from it; the ever-reliable Sam Lupton, rapidly becoming one of UK theatre’s most reliable talents, showers the audience with characteristically crisp, sumptuous vocals whilst some stellar puppetry - and Neil Nicholas’ smooth talking - brings to life the show’s blood-sucking, man-eating ‘Audrey II’ plant in gloriously entertaining style. X Factor alumni Rhydian hilariously chews up every inch of scenery he can with relish as both a sadistic dentist and a myriad of bit parts in Act II, whilst Sasha Latoya, Cassie Clare and Vanessa Fisher sound incredible as they dance and sing up a storm as a trio of soulful divas narrating to song throughout.

It’s a joyful and darkly comic romp, and one that is more than willing to repeatedly poke fun at itself and its inherent absurdity. The humour here works as well as it did over 3 decades ago, with the audience repeatedly on side even when things take a turn for the fantastical or somewhat grim. Lovable loser Seymour Krelborn’s (Lupton) life takes a turn for both the successful and bizarre when he happens upon a brand new species of plant, albeit one with an appetite for one thing only - human blood. Whilst the world champions Seymour as a ‘botany genius’ for his discovery, and he rises the ranks of local celebrity, the lengths he has to go to in order to keep his newfound meal ticket fed become ever darker and more comedic. Amidst it all, Seymour pines for the affections of his ditzy but sweet-natured co-worker Audrey (Stephanie Clift), after whom he names his new green-fingered find.

Lupton, as mentioned, is simply fantastic as Seymour, and credit has to go to Clift as Audrey for finding such a winning middle-ground between echoes of Ellen Green’s definitive take on the role both in the original show and 1986 film adaptation, whilst still offering some giggly, flighty flourishes and flavour of her own. It’s a great, eminently watchable cast who pop out of David Shields’ almost Burton-esque staging and bring Mencken and Ashman’s still brilliantly catchy tunes - including the likes of ‘Skid Row (Downtown)’, ‘Somewhere That’s Green’ and ‘Suddenly, Seymour’ - to life with plenty of humour, character and heart.

Little Shop of Horrors also benefits from being a title which hasn’t been as saturated on the touring scene to the extent which other similar shows have done so of late. As a result, it feels fresh and energised, buoyed by the innate merits of its book and score, and the great cast assembled for this run. For those who have never seen the show before, it may be something of an acquired taste for those who may take their musical theatre more seriously on a diet of Lloyd-Webber’s or Sondheim’s, but for the rest, it is a very easy recommendation - a confident, colourful and completely entertaining revival of a delicious, darkly comic show by a company who, much like the monstrous Audrey II herself, just keep growing from strength to strength.

MUSINGS

+ Menken and Ashman's book and score still make for a wonderfully fun, blackly comic show

+ Sam Lupton is one of UK theatre's most reliable delights

+ Some great puppetry brings Audrey II to life with sass and venom

+ Stephanie Clift makes for a great Audrey, whilst Latoya, Clare and Fisher dazzle as divas

+ Captures the spirit and charm of the original production without compromising on quality

+ Characterful, colourful, spirited and funny

Run: Tues 27 - Sat 31 Sep 2016

Performance Reviewed: Tues 27 Sep 2016 (Press Night)

Tickets: 0844 871 3011 / Official Website: click

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