Little Shop of Horrors

Odyssey Theatrical Productions is a remarkable company in that it comprises three distinct groups: Juniors, Youth and adults.  As such, it offers enviable development opportunities for young people, and it has been a particular pleasure to watch individuals step up to the Youth group from the Juniors and grow into wonderfully talented performers.

The characters in “Little Shop of Horrors” are surprisingly complex.  Seymour Krelborn, a young man rescued from the gutter by florist Mr Mushnik, is caught up in a chain of events which he can’t control and perhaps doesn’t want to stop.  His colleague Audrey is a victim of domestic violence, yet seemingly unable to escape the situation in which she finds herself.  Mr Mushnik is corrupted by Audrey II, the alien plant that Seymour has discovered, and aware that doing the right thing is not necessarily in his best interests.  And Orin Scrivello, a sadistic dentist and Audrey’s abusive boyfriend, is so hooked on nitrous oxide that he literally laughs himself to death.

A cast of principals, then, to challenge any company, but the young leads rise magnificently to the challenge, and none more so than the actor giving voice to Audrey II who unusually is actually seen whenever the malevolent plant is active: sometimes an amused observer, more often an impassioned, persuasive and demanding presence pursuing her malign and bloodthirsty desires.  This device elevated Audrey II from horticultural curiosity to something far more complicated and interesting, and shed new light on this central character.

Much of the context and commentary in the musical is provided by the Skid Row trio of Crystal, Ronette and Chiffon.  But why settle for just three performers?  A second trio doubled up in the songs, ensuring that the girls’ singing had that little bit of extra depth and quality, particularly in the harmonies and strong unison sections.  All six deployed excellent body language, shifting their weight from one hip to the other and following the action with studied indifference.

The company filled the stage with their imaginative and precisely executed dance routines, particularly in the opening and closing numbers, and several members of the company had the opportunity to shine in cameo roles.  I particularly enjoyed the ballet troupe’s interpretation of “Somewhere That’s Green”, which was notable for the elegant grace of many of the dancers’ arm extensions, and for some well-timed sequential movements.

In any youth production you are hoping to see the basics done well, and this was certainly the case here.  The principals knew their lines thoroughly and delivered them with clarity and vigour; just as importantly, they knew their cues equally well, so the dialogue maintained its pace and energy throughout.  The blocking had been well thought through, with some effective groupings on each side of the stage, and several striking moments when the habitual residents of Skid Row were captured in silhouette in front of the main scene playing upstage.

The set design was fairly traditional in concept, with the florist’s door and window on a truck so that the store could be opened up.  An increasingly dominant presence on stage is of course Audrey II, and I particularly liked the early iterations: someone waited a long time under Mushnik’s shop counter to animate the seedling version, while the developing pot plant was cunningly incorporated into Seymour’s jacket so he could operate it like a ventriloquist’s doll.

The costumes were in keeping with the mid twentieth century setting, with the more affluent characters, such as the people hoping to exploit the appeal of Audrey II, clearly differentiated from the residents of Skid Row.  Orin’s dentist’s tunic was very much of its time, Mr Mushnik’s outfits reflected his changing circumstances, Seymour’s bow tie and patterned sleeveless sweater captured his nerdy nature, and Audrey’s black sparkly dress spoke of her subservience to Orin.

Odyssey Youth’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors” was remarkably accomplished: how does a company of young people put on such polished performances after just a week of intensive rehearsals?  It was rendered truly memorable by the quality of the characterisation: there were insights here that I had never noticed before, and the decision to bring the voice of Audrey II out into the open was truly inspired.  The classic setting and tight band gave the whole evening an energy and immediacy that you only encounter in live performances like this one.  Perhaps I too have been captured by the mysterious power of Audrey II: all I can say is that I have started to regard the pot plant on the windowsill with deep suspicion …

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.