‘Little Shop of Horrors’ – Book by Howard Ashman; Music by Alan Menken; Based on the film by Roger Corman, screenplay by Charles Griffith. Directed by Hunter Foster. Choreography by Mara Newbery Greer. Music Direction by Dan Pardo. Scenic Design by Scott Pask and Nate Bertone. Lighting Design by Richard Latta. Costume Design by Dustin Cross and Bryce Turgeon. Sound Design by Kevin Heard. Wig/Hair & Make-Up Design by Roxanne De Luna. Presented by Ogunquit Playhouse, Ogunquit, Maine, through September 21.
By Mike Hoban
With so many good or great movies turned into mediocre or outright awful stage musicals, Little Shop of Horrors stands out as a brilliant exception – turning a dreadful but campy 1950s sci-fi movie into one of the best of the rock ‘n’ roll-scored musicals. Ogunquit Playhouse’s production of Little Shop is a rollicking blast; from its opening 60s girl group title number to its whacked-out sci-fi conclusion, it delivers musically and comedically.
Based on the 1960 Roger Corman cult classic of the same name (which features a young Jack Nicholson in a small role), the musical is adapted by Alan Menken (music) and Howard Ashman (book and lyrics) – the team is best known for their later work on Disney films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast. Little Shop tells the story of Seymour Krelborn (Etai Benson), a klutzy worker in a Skid Row flower shop who discovers a “strange and interesting plant” that – unbeknownst to Seymour – will bring him fame, fortune, and the girl of his dreams. But much like the three-wishes story, “The Monkey’s Paw,” there may be a catch. The shop is owned by the exploitative Gravis Mushnik (Adam Heller), who “rescued” Seymour from an orphanage – primarily to have him work for free in his shop. Also working there is the Marilyn Monroe-esque blond bombshell Audrey (Talia Suskauer) – a sweet but dim young woman with a heart of gold and zero self-esteem.
The shop is barely keeping its doors open until Seymour stumbles upon a Venus Flytrap-like plant, which he takes to the shop. The plant fails to thrive until Seymour accidentally pricks his finger and feeds it a few drops of his blood. The ailing plant immediately perks up and begins to grow like crazy, bringing legions of new customers to the shop to see Audrey II (“RuPaul’s Drag Race” reality star Latrice Royale), the name Seymour gives the plant in honor of Audrey, on whom he has a wild crush. Meanwhile, Audrey is in an abusive relationship with sadistic dentist Orin (Edward Watts), but she secretly pines for a “normal life” with a nice guy, maybe Seymour, as she sings in “Somewhere That’s Green,” a number that is both touching and hilarious. (Ashman’s lyrics for “Green” are brilliant, sending up early 60’s culture – with references to frozen dinners, plastic on the furniture, and a “fence of real chain link.”) As the plant grows and the shop begins to thrive, life begins to brighten for Seymour, Audrey, and Mushnik, until Audrey II’s lust for blood (“Feed Me”) takes the storyline down a darker but comically warped path.
There’s also a “Greek chorus” girl group (a la the Supremes) featuring Crystal (Chelsea Hooker), Ronnette (Brianna Brooks), and Chiffon (Olivia Elease Hardy) – all cleverly named for actual 60’s girl groups. The trio harmonizes beautifully on their own songs (“Da-Doo” and “Prologue”) and provide superb backing vocals for the group numbers (“Skid Row-Downtown,” “The Meek Shall Inherit”).
The principal cast is first-rate, led by Benson as the nerdy Seymour, and he’s outstanding in the comedic scenes. As Audrey, the girl without a chance, Suskauer kills on the show’s strongest ballads, “Suddenly Seymour” (a duet with Benson) and “Somewhere That’s Green,” and she captures the essence of the 50’s ditzy blonde, but also brings some real weight to the shame her character feels as the abused girlfriend. Heller is solid as the scheming Mushnik, so much so that we don’t feel too terrible when he meets his fate. Latrice Royale steals the show in the scenes in which he appears and rocks the house in “Suppertime” as Audrey II emphatically demands more and more blood. But as good as his performance is, the director’s choice to give Audrey II a human form rather than have it remain an anthropomorphic plant seems like stunt casting. Royale is an iconic star to many, and his appearance drew a wildly enthusiastic response from the crowd (including from my companion for the show), but fundamentally changing the character to cash in the performer’s star power didn’t work for me.
Set designers Scott Pask and Nate Bertone have created a wonderfully cartoonish representation of the Skid Row neighborhood, and the costumes by Dustin Cross and Bryce Turgeon add to the animated feel (except the odd costuming for the dentist. A burnt orange leather jacket on a motorcycle guy? Really?)
Little Shop of Horrors is a rare modern musical comedy that combines great songs, an imaginative book, and an authentic comic soul. But it also – subtly and surprisingly – delivers a message about the consequences of pursuing fame and money over principles in a way many “serious” works fall short of. For those who have never made the trek up to Ogunquit Playhouse, Little Shop of Horrors is an excellent reason to make your first trip (and parking is free!) For tickets and information, go to: https://www.ogunquitplayhouse.org/2024-little-shop-of-horrors
