Little Shop of Horrors - Exeter Northcott Theatre and Touring - Review

Its been 20 years since a full scale musical has been produced at the Exeter Northcott, but as a producing house it has come back kicking and screaming with a new production of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's Little Shop of Horrors, a black comedy meets sci-fi meets horror adventure of a blood thirsty plant and its meek shy botanist owner Seymour. And this production fully sells the Northcott as a small but mighty power in musical creation, filling its quaint space with colour, laughter, great vocals and slick sharp choreography in a brilliant evening of entertainment.

A struggling little florists on Skid Row, run by the money hungry Mr Mushnik (Andrew Whitehead) is on its very last legs until his skivvy Seymour (Scott McClure) reveals the strange plant he's been raising. Audrey II, found after an unexpected solar event and named after sweet shop girl/love of Seymour's life Audrey (Leigh Quinn), brings in the crowds but when Seymour discovers that the only thing keeping the now famous plant alive is human blood, his life is turned upside down when he realises that he doesn't have enough blood in his own body to satisfy the green monsters needs.

Scott McClure's Seymour is shy, better with plants than with people and constantly stumbling in the shadows of others. But he dreams of a life beyond the run down Skid Row, and Audrey II is his key. He is drawn into the strange seductive demands of the oversized fly trap type being, voiced by powerhouse Dashaun Vegas, and the audience delights in watching Seymour spiral into increasingly dark acts. It would appear that everyone on Skid Row has their dreams, or shall we at times call them motives. Whitehead's frantic Mr Mushnik needs Seymour to bring the money into his shop, whereas Audrey's abusive controlling boyfriend Orin Scrivello (Ross Clifton) only chose to be a dentist so that he could inflict pain. Even Audrey has her dreams, even if her dream is the idealistic American ideal of picket fences, a nice car and plastic covered furniture.

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As Audrey (the person not the plant), Leigh Quinn earns many a laugh, tottering around in her high heels and fishnets, following Orin around like a lost puppy that needs him to survive and greatly enjoying seeing Seymour thrive. Her rendition of 'Somewhere that's green' is touching, a wide eyed dream of something better and her relationship with McClure's Seymour is a balance of sweet and quirky, two misfits that somehow fit. It is Clifton as evil laughing gas obsessed dentist Orin Scrivello who proves to be a scene stealer, with smooth vocals that carry even through a gas mask and an Elvis like mega star personality from the slicked back hair to the leather trousers. His big number 'Dentist!' is a particular highlight and his act 2 appearances as several different characters one after the other are giggle inducing. Laura Buhagiar, Jodie Micciche and Jessica Ncube play the ever present urchins come Greek chorus Ronnette, Chiffon and Crystal, donned in sci fi style jumpsuits for the most part. Each with great voices, they both witness the action unfolding and explain it, all whilst performing Leanne Pinder's slick and polished choreography.

With music styles combining 1960's rock and roll, doo wop and Motown, the songs are clever, fun and wickedly catchy. At times, the more wordy numbers were perhaps a little overshadowed by the band, positioned above the set, and a slight moment of a dodgy mic for Mushnik did lose a bit of dialogue, but this didn't disrupt the enjoyment factor. The cast is completed by a cleverly used ensemble of local performers who fill the space with energy and somehow manage to work their way around the surprisingly small stage expertly without overwhelming the set and the action.

The story of a plant demanding blood and a shy little botanist having to find a way to provide it may be out there, and I have to agree that it is, but it works. The plot flows well at a nice pace, the songs are catchy and the characters are lovable. It makes you smile, and its a great time.

This production of Little Shop of Horrors will next visit the Lighthouse Poole from 20-24 October and the Belgrade Theatre Coventry from 27-31 October.