Little Shop of Horrors is perhaps the craziest musical in existence. It’s so ridiculous, in fact, that one feels slightly awkward when guffawing at its characters. Walking in to Nun’s Garden of The Queen’s College, the location of the musical, you’ll be confronted with an audience of contented family and friends, drinking wine, eating cookies, and chatting away merrily. For the first half an hour of action, this agreeable atmosphere is maintained on stage, but from then on it takes you to the limits of schadenfreude. The first lines of Audrey’s ‘Somewhere that’s green’, ‘I know Seymour’s the greatest, But I’m dating a semi-sadist’, perfectly encapsulate the ludicrous nature of this finely crafted production.
Little Shop of Horrors certainly conforms to the conception of humour as something slightly inappropriate and uncomfortable, but it is precisely this interplay of the psychopathic and the side-splitting that renders the musical so devilishly enjoyable. The highlights of the production are Orin Scrivello, Audrey’s abusive boyfriend, and the voice of Audrey II, the carnivorous plant. Orin’s rendition of the song ‘Dentist!’ is over-the-top, bizarre, but totally brilliant. Blending comedy and pain, his performance is riveting, and I almost wanted to give him a standing ovation just for that number. The voice of Audrey II, equally, is brash and booming, filling the garden atmosphere with its honeyed tones as it seduces both the characters and the audience.
The chemistry between Audrey and Seymour is not always quite there, and the singing of Mr. Mushnik is sometimes dodgy, but one forgives these minor setbacks because the experience of watching the musical is just so fun. Tom Nichols, the musical director, conducts exceptionally well, the band are well-drilled, sharp, and precise, and you will undoubtedly leave the play humming some of their most memorable songs. One fear I had before attending ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ was whether the music would fit together within a garden play, but I was pleasantly surprised. Occasionally the instruments drown out the singers, to such an extent that, if you’re sitting at the back of the garden, it can be difficult to make out all the words. However, all things considered this is a well organized and hugely pleasing musical that will make you laugh out loud.
