Little Shop of Horrors, Crucible Theatre Sheffield Review
Georgina Onuorah (Audrey) in Little Shop of Horrors. Photo by Manuel Harlan.
Written by Emmie and Kirsty for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Across the festive season, Sheffield Theatres presents the darkly comedic musical, the Little Shop of Horrors. Olivier-nominated director Amy Hodge (Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World) creates a more modern and electric presentation that is a sure fire hit for the regional theatre.
Inspired by Roger Corman’s iconic 1959 B-movie, Little Shop of Horrors follows Seymour, a down-on-his-luck florist who stumbles upon a peculiar plant named Audrey II with a chilling appetite for human blood. As Seymour’s success blossoms and his feelings for his coworker Audrey grow, the plant’s insatiable demands threaten to consume his life. Caught in a spiral of fame, love, and fear; Seymour must confront a harrowing choice that could cost him everything.
Brimming with dark humour and clever creative choices, this cult classic is reimagined in a fresh way that even devoted fans of the musical will be able to enjoy. Transitioning the musical from 1960s New York to a more typical British-inspired setting allows the ensemble to use their natural accents, maintaining authenticity without disrupting the flow of the story. Traditionally depicted as a massive plant prop, Audrey II is reimagined by Daisy Beattie’s impeccable puppet design. There’s a more humanistic approach, enhanced by ensemble members who creatively embody the plant’s growth and evolution throughout the show.
It doesn’t stop there, the vast stage of the Crucible is transformed by Georgia Lowe’s dynamic design which enhances the production with plenty of eye-catching and vibrant additions This is furthered by Matt Powell’s video design which dresses the the top area of the space and introduces new dimensions to the story and heightens specific parts of the story. Amy Hodge takes full advantage of the space in her direction, making use of the revolving stage to elevate the production and also inject some much needed life into what is realistically quite a stripped back space for a musical on this scale.
Charlotte Jaconelli, Paige Fenlon, and Lizzy Rose Esin Kelly were incredibly strong as the Urchins who act as the unofficial narrators of the story, their delivery of the opening numbers ‘Skid Row’ and ‘The Meek Shall Inherit’ enables this trio to truly shine with their goddess-like vocal tones. Wilf Scolding played Orin the Dentist uniquely and energetically, with a special mention to his throbbing and revving scooter! Michael Matus as flower shop owner Mr Mushnik was the perfect foil to Colin Ryan’s endearing and sweet Seymour. There is a really enjoyable mix of vulnerability and charm to this performance, whilst also adding some well-received comedic timing too. Throughout the show, Ryan’s vocal prowess shone through and he had wonderful chemistry with the astronomically talented Georgina Onuorah. We’ve seen Onuorah shine in productions like The Wizard of Oz and Kiss Me, Kate in recent years but it's surely her performance as the sweet and vulnerable Audrey that shows she’s a star.
Of course, the star of the show is undoubtedly the stunningly talented Sam Buttery as Audrey II. Buttery plays the people eating plant from a simple hand puppet to a fully formed and stage filling entity with ease and grace. Vocally Buttery was a revelation, and this was illustrated perfectly in “Feed Me (Git It)” and “Mean Green Mother” from Outer Space. Buttery is a true star and we can’t wait to see them move on to even bigger and better things in 2025.
There is a lot to be admired in this bold and electric presentation on offer in Sheffield, from its striking visuals and consistently high-energy performances, all of which manage to stay true to the spirit of the cult classic. The adding fresh, vibrant twists are thoroughly engaging but feeding a tighter finish to Little Shop of Horrors will ensure its a huge success when it comes to daring revivals.
At Crucible Theatre, Sheffield until 18 January 2025.
★ ★ ★ ★
