Jed Berry as Seymour and Maisie Smith as Audrey with Audrey II. Photo: Danny Kaan
2026 has seen something of a resurgence of the horror musical across the country as UK audiences have enjoyed an uptick in shows centred around the macabre, with Beetlejuice making its long-awaited West End debut and Sweeney Todd enjoying a very successful run at the Birmingham Rep this summer. Now, as spooky season well and truly kicks off, Manchester finds itself in the grip of a particularly hungry plant as Little Shop of Horrors comes to the Hope Mill Theatre. Will it be a true Halloween thriller – or a bit of a mood killer?
Little Shop of Horrors is the well known 80s rock musical that follows Seymour Krelborn, a worker at a Skid Row flower shop on the verge of closing. Whilst the owner, Mr Mushnik, worries about the finances, Seymour’s colleague Audrey is busy with her dentist boyfriend Orin, who in turn is very handy with his fists. Their luck changes however, when Seymour discovers a strange and mysterious new breed of plant that grows rapidly and captures a lot of attention for the shop. There’s just one problem: this plant only thrives on blood, and Seymour must make some terrible decisions. Business is booming, and Seymour may finally get the girl of his dreams when Audrey’s boyfriend ‘disappears’ – but at what cost?
The intimate setting of the Hope Mill works incredibly well for this show, which has never required grandiose set pieces to accompany the story. That said, Morgan Large and Matthew Cassar have done a fantastic job of creating a striking set out of very little, with inspired choices including the use of giant LEDs spelling out ‘SKID ROW’ across the front of Mushnik’s shop piece. The smaller space is also complimented by the ability to have running lights and props/pieces of characters that appear throughout the auditorium (spoilers). The acoustics are better, meaning the vocals are crisp and clear. Even the foyer gives small and spooky vibes – this venue feels like it was made for this show.
With a small company, the danger and implications of a miscast are significant. Thankfully, this show seems to have been perfectly cast to fit its hilarious direction and take on an already fairly outrageous script. Michael Starke is a very fitting Mr Mushnik, adding to his scenes without overpowering the narrative. Marcus Ayton provides the sexy and sultry voice of Audrey II, enthralling the audience with his magnificent vocals. Rio Maye, Psalms-Nissi Myers-Reid and Gabrielle Davina Smith are stunning as Chiffon, Crystal and Ronette respectively, livening up the action and giving some hilarious side-eyes. Benjamin Yates and his … eye-catching costume are an inspired choice for Orin Scrivello, bringing a fresh and suitably camp take on the role that works very, very well. Maisie Smith is a lovely Audrey, capturing her timid lack of confidence and lisp-y New York twang perfectly, and her Somewhere That’s Green is simply beautiful. Jed Berry, however, steals the show as the hapless Seymour, giving a wonderfully animated and amusing performance that still somehow fits the wallflower nature of the character. Together, this cast is a force of nature, and it feels as though there isn’t a single dull moment throughout the show.
Overall, this is an exceptional revival of a show that does not get its flowers (ahem) often enough. It’s a flawless, feel-good, powerhouse production – phenomenally entertaining and devilishly funny. Revivals like this don’t come around too often – make sure to catch it, before it catches you…
Little Shop of Horrors plays at the Hope Mill Theatre until 28th November 2026.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Written by Roni for Theatre and Tonic, October 2026.