BWW Reviews: Savvy and Sassy LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS an Enjoyable Musical Romp

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS premiered more than three decades ago, beginning Off-Off-Broadway in May 1982 before transferring to an Off-Broadway house in July that year. A remarkable five years later, the production closed, having played the West End and been adapted for a film version directed by Frank Oz during that time. Today, it is a popular choice for amateur dramatic groups and schools, with notable professional revivals taking place on Broadway in 2003 and in the West End in 2008. This year, a two-stop South African tour will play Theatre on the Bay in Cape Town and at Montecasino's Pieter Toerien Main Theatre in Johannesburg. Director Steven Stead first staged LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS for KickstArt productions in 2009, with Pieter Toerien Productions coming on board for this national presentation of the show.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is a both an adaptation and a satire of the 1960 Roger Corman film of the same name. In true Faustian style, a wretched little man - florist shop assistant, Seymour Krelborn - is offered love, fame and fortune by a devilishly charming alien plant. Naming the plant after his beloved colleague Audrey, Seymour soon sees things spiral out of control as Audrey II's true intentions are revealed. With its tongue firmly in its cheek, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS shifts between moments that are hysterically funny and genuinely moving. Its score - featuring songs like "Skid Row (Downtown)", "Somewhere That's Green" and "Suddenly Seymour" - playing no small part in the show's success. Anyone doubting Ashman and Menken's skill in writing more than hit songs for Disney animated features needs only to examine their fully realised song-scene in the second act of this show; "The Meek Shall Inherit" is top-notch musical theatre writing.

Popular stand-up comedian, Alan Committee, leads the cast of Pieter Toerien and KickstArt's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, playing the show's protagonist, Seymour. Celebrity casting is a common enough practice is musicals, with some of the many stars who have taken on starring roles in musical theatre including Lucille Ball, who tried to bring WILDCAT to Broadway, José Ferrer, who went on a quest to become the MAN OF LA MANCHA, and Melanie Griffith, who stepped out as Roxie Hart in CHICAGO.

In LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, Committie goes through the motions of bringing the nebbish anti-hero of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS to life, but one never loses the sense that it is Committie himself driving the gags, pratfalls and shtick he employs on stage. His fans will be delighted to see him camp his way through the role, but audiences hoping to see a fully-realised characterisation and a mastery of Ashman and Menken's score will be disappointed. Ashman, who directed the show's original production, warned actors of the dangers of playing the show for low-comedy, suggesting simplicity and honesty as suitable alternatives. It is precisely those qualities that are missing in Committie's performance as Seymour.

As Audrey, Candice van Litsenborgh delivers a breakthrough performance in the role that possibly has the biggest shoes to fill, thanks to Ellen Greene's definitive portrayal of the role on stage and on film. But whether she is squeaking up a storm as Audrey's love for Seymour blossoms, quietly contemplating Audrey's life in "Somewhere That's Green" or belting out "Suddenly Seymour" like there's no tomorrow, Van Litsenborgh delivers her own take on the role while still honouring those mannerisms of Greene's that took root in Ashman's libretto for the show. Her Audrey is magnificent.

Michael Richard delivers a fantastic turn as Mr Mushnik, the crotchety owner of the florist shop in which Audrey II makes its home. Mushnik is a pure character role, and Richard makes the most of it. Excellent character work too is at the core of Zak Hendrikz's performance as Audrey's sadistic boyfriend and in his second act cameo as Mrs Luce. Hendrikz also proves to be a versatile vocalist, treating Menken's melodic lines with a silky elasticity.

Adam Pelkowitz offers excellent support in a quartet of roles, particularly as Skip Snip in "The Meek Shall Inherit", in which Jaco van Rensburg also leaps about merrily as a fey television producer, Mr Bernstein. The trio of girl group inspired narrators, Chiffon (Lelo Ramasimong), Crystal (Chantal Herman) and Ronette (Dionne Song) are supremely sassy, with Ramasimong's vocals being particularly impressive in her riff-filled solos in "Downtown" and "Don't It Go to Show Ya Never Know".

Two actors, both of whom are hidden from the audience, play Audrey II. Tim Wells lends his voice to the plant, with all of his cues being pre-recorded, while puppeteer Brandon Moulder synchronises his movements to meet the needs of the action on stage. It may be partly due to the pre-recorded nature of the vocals and the sound design, but Wells never feels like he cuts loose, which makes Audrey II feels less of a threat than it should. In fact, Mark Malherbe's sound design never finds a satisfying balance between the dialogue, sung vocals and music. While there certainly is ample amplification, everything feels somewhat distanced, a big problem for a show that relies on a bright and vibrant aural presence for a great deal of its effectiveness.

In his robust direction of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, Steven Stead makes the most of Ashman's satire of science fiction B-movies, contriving some impressive genre moments, notably in the closing sequence of the first act. Janine Bennewith's punchy choreography complements Stead's take on the show, which offers a solid and savvy if not innovative reading of the piece.

Justin Southey negotiates a number of challenges in his solid musical direction of the show's delightful score. Working with tracks can be challenging at the best of time, but Southey has managed to help most of the cast through the pitfalls of this tricky exercise. An opening night gaffe saw the ending of "Mushnik and Son" eliminated entirely; hopefully technical glitches of this kind will work themselves out as the run continues.

Greg King's set design delivers a realistic looking environment that uses bursts of colour, augmented by Tina le Roux's lighting design, to push the decor into the stylised world of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. There are times when it looks like everything is held together by a lick and a promise, particularly in the wobbly transition from the shop into Orin's rooms at the end of Act I, but the overall effect is pleasing. The ever-growing Audrey II puppets, designed by King with Wendy Henstock, are also a great deal of fun, particularly the two smallest iterations, which are meticulously designed. The larger versions also look super, although the puppets' necklines feel undressed when revealed during some of the more extended mastication sequences.

Terrence Bray's costume designs capture the tone of the piece marvellously, with some fabulous signature pieces studding the colourful outfits donned by the cast in each scene. Bray's character work is generally on point and his designs for the trio of narrators delightful as they appear in a succession of diverse pieces that play with musical style, theme and narrative. But with Ashman's book carefully saving the revelation of Orin's profession for the moment in which it is announced, it seems a pity that the white fringe of his coat hangs out beneath his leather jacket in the character's first entrance. Also, a trio of stylish coats in "The Meek Shall Inherit", used to cover the magnificent dresses in which Chiffon, Crystal and Ronette appear soon afterwards, feels unfinished with the actresses' bare legs peeking out beneath, the functionality of the design overpowering its aesthetic.

Some three decades after its first premiere, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS still delivers on its promise to be an enjoyable romp for its audiences. In this production, there is a great deal of fun to be had in the kind of musical that offers only the slightest commentary on the world around us - "whatever they offer you, don't feed the plants" - and mostly expects its viewers to kick back, relax and go along for the ride.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is currently running at Theatre on the Bay in Cape Townuntil 6 June, following which it will transfer to Pieter Toerien's Main Theatre at Montecasino in Johannesburg through August 9. Bookings are through Computicket.

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