Review: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Guthrie Theater

A strange and unusual new plant is being featured on the Guthrie Theater’s Wurtele Thrust Stage and it’s got an appetite for blood. Yes, Little Shop of Horrors is back on the Twin Cities stage in flashy, yet campy, fashion.

The 1980s classic musical based on the 1960 film of the same name, tells the story of a down-on-his-luck florist, Seymour, who spends his days in a florist shop in Skid Row, tinkering with odd plants and counting down the days until the store closes from lack of customers. Without warning (and with the help of a total eclipse of the sun), his luck changes when he stumbles across a “strange and unusual” plant that, when placed in the shop window catches the eye of passersby. Feeling like the tides are turning, Seymour’s boss, Mr. Mushnik, demands that he take care of the plant at whatever costs to keep business booming.

Sounding like an easy task for him, Seymour attempts to perk up the little plant, Audrey II as he has named it, but there is one catch: Audrey II prefers a different kind of plant food. Blood, and lots of it. Running out of fingers to prick, Seymour must turn to other methods to feed the plant, and as Audrey II grows, so does the admiration of the people around him, including his co-worker Audrey. Though she is a nice girl, her dentist boyfriend is anything but. Torn between the newfound fame of having such a strange plant that requires extreme measures to keep alive and the love he has for Audrey and a life he dreams they could have, Seymour must make a series of decisions that will affect every single resident of Skid Row….and perhaps the world.

While Little Shop of Horrors has been produced hundreds, if not thousands, of times throughout the decades, the Guthrie has taken a new approach to their production. Instead of basing Audrey II off of a normal Venus fly trap, they have opted to base it on the aptly named Corpse Flower. A flower that only blooms every few years and when it does, omits a startlingly grotesque smell. Seemingly the perfect flower to base a man-eating plant on and maybe not so coincidently, the Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul, Minnesota has one on display periodically when it is set to bloom.

Not only has the Guthrie changed the type of flower but they have leaned very heavily into the B-Movie vibe of the story that seems to be scrubbed away in most productions. Even though the production is flashy, loud, and a spectacle to watch, it carries a fresh campiness that makes the show feel fresh and new. Even patrons who think they know what to expect will find a plethora of fun surprises waiting behind the doors of Mushnik’s florist shop.

Bringing charm and nerdiness aplenty to the role of Seymour is Broadway actor, Will Roland. Known for his roles in Dear Evan Hansen and Be More Chill, Roland tackles Seymour with his iconic comedic timing but offers a large splash of humanity across his whole performance. He brings out the raw emotions that Seymour feels with every breath and note. Whether he is elated with the success he has stumbled into or horrified at the lengths he has to go to, to maintain that success. Roland takes us on that journey with ease and it is a treat to enjoy, even if he does have to get a tad murderous.

Standing side by side with Roland every step of the way is China Brickey who brings Audrey to life with incredible vigor and camp. If there is anyone in this production that throws themself fully into the B-Movie vibe of the show, it is Brickey. She is hilarious, heartwarming, and heartbreaking all at once. Brickey clearly knows the precedent that actors before her have brought to Audrey but she doesn’t give a recreation of any of them. She breathes her own life into the role and her delivery is sensational. The physicality and facial expressions that she is able to deliver, especially in the final moments of the show, are beyond impressive and memorable.

Playing off one another with such ease, Roland and Brickey have such chemistry together as Seymour and Audrey and that is shown to high acclaim when they deliver their truly show-stopping edition of Suddenly Seymour. Suffice to say, it may be one of the best performances of the song in recent memory. The delivery that they bring to the tune is both goofy and touching but it ends on such a triumphant note that the audience was practically jumping out of their seats to laud Roland and Brickey’s dynamic performance. It is worth the price of admission just for this moment.

It would be unfair to single out one other member of the company who certainly delivers some of the highlights of the show. David Darrow. Embodying the sadistic and maniacal dentist, Orin D.D.S., Darrow is an absolute star. From his mischievous laughs as he inhales copious amounts of nitrous oxide to his aggressive and abusive attitude towards anyone, and everyone, he deems his victims…um…patients. There is no shortage of devilishness in Darrow’s performance and even though the audience despises him and waits for his inevitable demise, they can’t seem to lap up enough of his performance. While his main role is portraying Orin, Darrow takes on a slew of other roles throughout the production and he nails every single one of them without missing a beat.

It seems to be a rare feat nowadays to have a complete smash hit show in this day and age but the Guthrie Theater’s production of Little Shop of Horrors is firing on every cylinder. There are laughs, spectacular musical numbers, and plenty of horror to go around. So grab your friends, family, neighbors, and anyone else that you wouldn’t mind sacrificing to an alien plant and check out this can’t-miss show of the summer because, if the opening night crowd is any indication, the run is sure to sell out and fast. Oh and remember, whatever they offer you, don’t feed the plants (unless you want all of your dreams to come true).

To post a comment, you must register and login.