Little Shop of Horrors

Being a bit of a Super Fan I was intrigued to see how newly formed Teesdale Operatic Society would tackle one of my favourite musicals.

After a lovely warm welcome from members, we were shown to our seats and instantly felt at home as the extended stage had converted the Witham Theatre into Skid Row and its residents took great delight in heckling us and other members of the audience, a great start from the busy ensemble.

Little Shop of Horrors centers itself predominantly around 4 main characters however the busiest members of the cast are easily the Trio of Chiffon, Crystal and Ronette as they take us through the introduction of the story. The 3 girls played respectively by Imogen Roff, Grace Robinson and Lois Falshaw were sensational. With vocals well above their years they worked together with such ease, the harmonies slick between them and they gave us such attitude and sass as they narrated us through the craziness of this plot.

The opening number was told with such power and there were no signs of nerves from 3 performers all, all 6th formers, taking on these key roles. Their simple yet highly effective dance routines were slick, and I loved the way they would hold poses, The Supremes style, at the end of each number.

The main show, after the fabulous intro, begins with the well-known Skid Row and the main ensemble of drunks and bums did a fabulous job of a tricky number giving us a great insight into the down-trodden world we would encounter. Each member of the cast put huge effort in working around a tight and very effective set of Mushnik’s flower shop – all of them working hard backstage to assist with scene changes and very complex props – all of which were very right for the time and setting.

I loved how every member of the ensemble had given themselves a character and were not just a “chorus”, many of them taking on extra smaller roles – Nate Robinson in particular stood out with extra roles and his dead pan expression in “Da-Doo” was hysterical. Each member should be proud of their brilliant individual performances to create the overall image.

The main “Prop” in this show is of course the Plant, growing from a small sapling until the 2nd Act where it dominates the whole set, this was masterfully puppeteered and manouvered by Jill McLachlan and ably assisted by cast members. It’s the 1st time I have seen it where the Plant’s mouth was in perfect synch with the vocals. Talking of which what an amazing vocal display for the plant by Harry Falshaw in his Musical Debut, great power and a huge range were displayed giving the plant all the horror and comedy this essential part needed.

Whilst on debuts, it was great to see Martin Wallis take on his 1st principal role. After a slightly nervous start he quickly grew into the role and by the time he had hit his main song, Mushnik & Son he had made the character his own. A well-controlled performance in a wordy role and the duet, and in particular the Tango, got the brilliant reception from the audience it deserved.

Another Barnard Castle School 6th Former taking on a principal role was Benjamin Wilson as Scrivello the Dentist. Benjamin showing us the depth of talent TOS have around them, his stage presence was brilliant giving us a commanding performance. He interacted brilliantly with cast members, tackling the tricky and less well known It’s Just The Gas making us believe he was well and truly high on Nitrus Oxide as he collapsed to his death. His star number was You’ll be a Dentist; he owned the stage with great vocals and certainly caught us off guard with amazement as he dropped into the splits with ease.

Making her debut with TOS was the very impressive Lizzy Heyward in the iconic role Audrey. From her 1st entrance she was captivating, playing the role with such ease and demonstrating the naivety and frailty of the character. Her vocals were perfect, and she had such a lovely tone, interacting so well with Scott in a very moving Suddenly Seymour and her rendition of Somewhere That’s Green was the best I have ever heard (and I have seen this show a lot). By the time it comes to her passing we knew her, could understand her as a character and this made her passing so much more emotional.

Taking on the main role of the Nerdy shop assistant Seymour was Scott Edwards and he handled this lead role with such ease. Absolutely pitch perfect vocals, great visual acting and wonderful facial expressions made us warm to him instantly. Leading key and complex songs looked effortless and he was yet again a true leading man.

Not only did Scott take on this huge role but he also choreographed the show and made great use of the limited space in the Witham with simple yet tight routines all handled with ease by the cast.

Under the baton TOS are in very safe hands under the leadership of Richard Dawson who led a great band of 9 never once overpowering the cast and they sounded fantastic. Little Shop of Horrors is a much more complicated score than many would imagine with tricky timings and vocals and it is clear how much work has been put in by Richard and the cast from the quality of sound we were treated to.

What a busy year it has been for Director, Dawn Trevor. Since the group 1st put on Joseph this time last year, their 1st show, they have gone on to produce 4 wonderful shows in a 12-month period with Dawn at the helm on all 4. All have been wonderful shows and this latest production was no exception, every bit of detail was precise, the scenes moved along at a great pace, and you certainly have made my love story with this show continue.

A huge well done and thank you to the whole production team and wonderful cast. You yet again have shown what a talented group you are, and I cannot wait to see what 2023 brings for you.

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