Little Shop of Horrors

This was my first visit to Westcliff High School for Girls and I received a very warm welcome from the students and staff. The auditorium was impressive as it was adorned with greenery and there was an imposing three level stage representing Skid Row. There were atmospheric street and wind sounds being played and homeless characters moving around the area. The programme was glossy and attractive and as well as giving some interesting information about the current show; with excellent biographies of cast members, it explained the history of the show and advertised local businesses and forthcoming events.

From the very beginning it was obvious that this production was on a par with any other musical productions I have seen, amateur or professional. The set-up involved a live band made up of students and the technical crew of lighting and sound that was also operated by students. There was a video link from the Musical Director backstage which could be viewed by the cast and of course this contributed to the slick performance that I saw.

The prologue involved Crystal, Ronette and Chiffon played by Isabell Beresford-Cole, Bonnie McGhee and Krisdeana Reed. The three characters appeared throughout the performance as commentators. As a group they gelled well, their dancing and harmonies were ‘on point’ and as individuals all had excellent pitch and tone. Each of the girls had solos and I was very impressed by the level of each of their performances. I assumed all had had previous experience in performing arts and was surprised to find that this was the first time Bonnie had performed in front of an audience. Very well done to all.

During the first scene we were introduced to the company and to Seymour Krelbourn, who is responsible for the cultivation of Audrey II. The Chorus were well choreographed and the use of the stage was impactful. The shapes created and the expressions of each individual added to the piece. This kind of detail was maintained throughout the performance. Seymour was played by Reuban Beard. A geeky character with glasses and a tank top he had clear crisp diction, and very credible American accent, as did the majority of the company, and a great singing voice. It became clear that Seymour was a down trodden employee who, after declaring his love for his fellow worker, Audrey developed Audrey II (an unusual plant) who needed blood to grow. It was his skill in cultivating the plant that led to his fame and fortune and his being ‘adopted’ by his employer Mr Mushnik.

Audrey was played by Rosie Duenas; a sweet character who was in an abusive relationship with Orin, the dentist. Rosie played the part very well; it was easy to empathise with her and this also made her developing relationship with Seymour more credible. She had a very clear tone. She showed light and shade both in her acting and singing and this of course helped her capture the audience particularly in her last song as she dies in Seymour’s arms. I definitely shed a little tear for that!

Mr Mushnik was played by Xavier Cloefe, He played a commanding role as the shop owner. He was tall and well dressed with a fabulous accent and a fine singing voice. Xavier’s characterisation was good and he reacted in a plausible manner to each situation. He moved from the aloof manager, to the needy business owner to the desperate ‘adoptive’ father and finally to plant food, smoothly and expertly. I was very impressed by his ability to dance in heels during the finale, a skill I have still not mastered after 40 years of trying!

Orin, the abusive dentist, was played by Finley White. Oh my goodness what great characterisation! A tall and imposing character whose whole body portrayed a maniacal, sadistic man set on relishing in the pain of others while enjoying the high of Nitrous Oxide. While Orin did not have the purest pitch, he did have great comic timing and an hilarious stage presence. Orin was so mean that I was pleased to see him fed to Audrey II.  Finley appeared as several other characters in the second act; his skill in mimicking the characters of others was plain to see to great comic effect.

Audrey II began life on stage as a puppet and developed into the real-life character of Audrey II, a tall and exotically dressed Alice Yeomans. This part, that I have previously seen played by a man, needed someone strong and confident and this is what Alice provided. Audrey II demands more and more blood to grow and dominates Seymour who is powerless but to feed her to sustain his lifestyle. Alice played the part well and I particularly enjoyed her ‘rocking out’ during the finale. Her head flicks and expression added to her character and it was obvious that Audrey II had no empathy for anyone.

There were very few faults that I could see during this performance. Maybe one microphone pick-up was late and I was concerned that there was no warning about strobe lighting which was fleeting. The shop counter wobbled a little bit and I did feel a little bit sorry for the lady that ordered $100 worth of roses and got about half a dozen but it added to the comic effect.

The finale showcased the whole company. The costumes were designed and made by a student, Rosie Gayner, and were all representations of the parts of Audrey II, who we thought had been hacked by Seymour but were actually saved. The lighting, music and props all came together to give a breath-taking ending to a fabulous show. There were huge green tentacles extending from either side of the stage, streamers and beach balls bouncing around. It was an explosion of sound and colour, a feast for the senses.

Overall, it is difficult for me not to gush about how much I enjoyed this performance. Technically, there was so much more. For example, the scene changes; at Orin’s dentist surgery there were crew in white coats moving the props and when the scene changed at Mushkin’s the crew had on green visors and aprons. When Audrey sang about being somewhere green, the lights were green. The follow spots were great. The sound and use of head microphones were very good and not easy to manage either. The list of details that made this performance good are endless. The music and choreography were excellent. I saw behind stage and the work that staff and students had put in, in their spare time, often while preparing for important exams was phenomenal. The whole company came together to make this an ensemble piece that could rival any other.

At curtain call the band came out as well as the technical crew and they enjoyed the party as much as the main performers. Everyone should feel very proud of this production. I feel privileged to have seen it because I know school performances are generally only witnessed by family and friends. Very well done to all. I would love to see more ….. so FEED ME!

 

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