Little Shop of Horrors

Ben Joseph – Seymour – created the nerdy botanist very well and gave the character just the right amount of awkwardness. Ben always gives 100% and this was evident from the start.

Harmony Sunshine – Audrey – was outstanding. An emotional role, handled well, with good vocals and confident acting.

Glenn Bowen – Mr Mushnik – the grouchy, failing florist, played with just the touch of ‘Jewishness’ necessary for the part. I liked the slightly more forceful personality than usually seen for this part.

Tim Driscoll – Orin – was convincingly sadistic, providing the perfect rendition of this comic role.

The three backing singers of Laura Campbell (Ronette), Emily Porter (Chiffon), and Amy Phillips (Crystal) were full of energy and humour, and vocal harmonies spot on.

Audrey 2 was executed in a combined effort by both puppeteer (Aidan Dorrington  & Nicola Thomas Bizjak) and vocalist (Ross Broad) to provide a convincing portrayal of the animated plant.

The chorus worked hard throughout this production ably supporting the cast.

Choreography was well within the capabilities of the company. All the routines were polished and had great variety.

While the set was excellent, it was huge and restricted the use of the stage area, resulting in visually cramped full company numbers.

There were some continuity issues throughout, most notably when Seymour/Mushnik broke the fourth wall during ‘Skid Row’ and the intermittent use of the clock, used at the beginning of act 1 and then not used until act 2.

This colourful production was a good choice for this thriving company, and showcased many of their long standing members. The costumes were vibrant and the props were well conceived.

This was my final official visit as NODA Rep to Hilltop Theatre Company, therefore I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your hospitality over the years.

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