Little Shop of Horrors

BATS production of Little Shop of Horrors was a fantastic example of how non-professional theatre can be just as creative, slick and entertaining as any professional show. The narrative flowed and scenes moved along quickly while song after song was pacey and energetic. The large cast and crew worked very hard and, most importantly, looked like they enjoyed themselves just as much as we did.

There was some super ensemble playing and vocal ability across the board was excellent. The cast had bags of energy and used the whole stage and auditorium to good effect. Costumes were just right and were accentuated by some brilliant hairstyling.

The set cleverly accommodated both the shop and the street outside, with a sliding screen providing an efficiently workable change of scene, ably managed most of the time by the street winos and the girl-group/narrators. Only the door through to the shop seemed sometimes unnecessary and began to grate a little when it was brought in and out in quick succession. The idea was a great one though and the creativity is to be commended. The scene in which the cast transform the run-down florist’s shop into a thriving business was wonderfully achieved.

Ryan Maslen as Seymour had a massive challenge; the character is rarely off stage and has a gamut of emotions to get through, both emotionally and physically. Ryan’s performance never faltered and his characterisation was excellent; appropriately nerdy and nervous, becoming stronger and more confident as he realises he has to face up to Orin the dentist and Audrey II. Well done Ryan.

Rebecca Hoskyns’ Audrey was a perfect match for Seymour; the dumb blonde persona and fearful obedience to her violent dentist boyfriend were well portrayed. Whilst not quite the ‘December bride’ as suggested in the song; Rebecca was well-matched with both Ryan Maslen and Ryan Lenney in age and stage presence. Her performance of ‘Somewhere that’s Green’ was beautifully sung, especially the plaintive reprise in her final moments.

Orin the sadistic dentist is a gem of a part and Ryan Lenney savoured every moment (hopefully not too much!). The physicality of the part is a challenge for a young actor but Ryan gave a confident and almost scarily convincing performance.

Rob Warne’s Mushnik the shop owner and Seymour’s adoptive father was another strong performance. His duet with Seymour on ‘Mushnik and Son’ was a real comedy highlight.

The roles of the three ‘muses’ who observe and narrate the show were in this case expanded to a senior and two junior ‘teams’. Although it inevitably diluted the characters, it worked well enough and gave opportunities for more performers to take a role. Nancy Dines, Lea Friend and Lesley Mercer 

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