AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Little Shop Of Horrors - The Grange Theatre, Hartford. Northwich.

OK, I'm just going to come right out with it at the beginning: this was one one of the best school shows I think I have ever seen! 

'Little Shop Of Horrors' is a very popular musical, and I have seen it innumerable times over the years and so it is a show I know backwards! It has also been my privilege and pleasure to see many school productions too over the years, obviously some better than others. The production values of this version, currently at the school's own Grange Theatre in Hartford (just outside of Northwich), were on a professional level, and the quality and talent of the young, teenage cast was exceptional. 

This was now my third visit to The Grange Theatre, and each time I have seen the theatre used in a different configuration, such is the versatility and adaptability of their amazing and comfortable space. Here, a large forestage had been built out into the auditorium with the school band visible in the centre of a catwalk-like walkway around the three sides. The rear of this being an extension to their normal stage. And indeed, throughout Jacqueline Hardy-Kinsella's imaginative direction for this show, the entire theatre was utilised creatively with the main auditorium doors and gangways being used as entrances, and the balcony becoming a viewing gallery for The Ronettes to give commentary on the proceedings on stage [as indeed The Ronettes fulfil the same function in this musical as a Greek Chorus would have done a couple of thousand years' ago]. The main stage set being Mushnik's flower shop, and this was a delight; beautifully designed / decorated, and fit the stage perfectly. The use of main curtain and gauze helped in this show too. 

And if I can continue to write a little about the direction, Hardy-Kinsella put a few magic touches to this show, which, despite the number of times of my seeing it before, I had yet to witness, and they worked superbly. Too many to mention or even remember, but the computer-generated images of the plant arriving to earth at the beginning was inspired, and really helped those for whom the story was new; whilst the lighting change on "total eclipse of the sun" to put Seymour inside that eclipse was clever and enjoyable. [as indeed was his leprechaun-like dance jump out of it!]. Hardy-Kinsella also used the stage configuration cleverly, and this added layers to the story by the literal and visual separation of characters and therefore images. She also managed to capture the style and era of the show superbly. Written in the style of those 1950's B-movie horror films with music of the rock 'n' roll / Motown era in America, it can be a genre that is perhaps a little too foreign for contemporary teenagers to accurately reimagine. However, here the cast seemed to be able to 'pull it off' with ease and style!

Perfectly complementing the direction was Bethan McCormick's simple but hugely effective choreography; always on point, always apt, and always in the correct style. Very enjoyable. Whilst Steven Williams and his 11 students impressed with their musical skills throughout. Piano and percussion are my intruments (after the voice), and I could see the kit player, Isaac Short, from my seat, and so, naturally, my eyes strayed to his playing from time to time. In a word, excellent!

The story of  'Little Shop Of Horrors' follows the lives of the two employees of Mushnik's Flower Shop on Skid Row [an Americanism for a place that is run-down, semi-derelict and usually full of vagrants and homelessness], and how the extra-terrestrial arrival and intervention of a 'strange and unusual' plant alters the course of their lives forever. The lead role of Seymour this evening was taken by a hugely personable and very watchable young actor, Toby Holmes. A real triple-threat, I look forward to seeing him on the professional stage when he's a little older. Bibi Lodge, Frankie Robertson, and Max Hildred played Audrey, Mr. Mushnik, and Orin respectively. All three had, quite wisely, chosen not to perform cardboard-cut-out impersonations of their more famous film characters; but had instead found their own ways through the text and brought a completely new dimension to their roles and characters which worked well both for them and the show as a whole. Lodge was much more centred and sensible, losing the squeeky high-pitched voice and ditsy dumb-blonde characterisation that she is normally given. This made her dying wish all the more pathetic [in the word's correct theatrical usage]. She also had a lovely singing voice too, and I enjoyed her interpretation of 'Somewhere That's Green'. Robertson wisely cast away much of the overt Jewishness to his character, and instead concentrated on the business-like down-to-earthness, focussing especially on his brusqueness and offhandedness. Hildred, on the other hand played up to his ego as Orin, and rather than focussing on the sadistic vanity in a Hammer Horror-esque way, instead chose to be more 'Carry On' about it, and this brought a new dimension not only to his characterisation, but added a layer of comedy not nornally brought out in the show. 

The Ronettes - in this version doubled up as a sextet (great idea!) - were Jessica Baldry, Millie Peck, Charlotte Newbitt, Katie Preston, Lux Tilston, and Zara Williams-Pattison. Their singing (and harmonies) secure and enchanting, and their dance routines lovely. The plant, Audrey 2, is a role that often goes uncredited or even unnoticed. The fact that there is a huge, animate, all-singing plant on stage for most of the show, is, for most reviewers enough - the fact that someone has to not only voice the plant but manipulate it as well, is less important seemingly. In this production, that rather unenviable task fell to Edward Dobbs to perform; and perform it he did, with relish! He was so lively and animate in fact that we could clearly see his legs standing and walking away from the pot on several occasions... but that truly didn't matter.

There were a couple of instances within the show which didn't seem right however, and so in balance, I feel I should mention them. First, Seymour never wore any band-aids [plasters] at all, and when they are mentioned and so much an integral part of the plot, that felt - and looked - wrong. Also, Orin should never have taken Seymour's gun - Seymour needs to hold on to that throughout... it's only his baseball cap that is found, and he needs his gun to sing "Do it now...".

However, lighting, effects, sound, costumes and everything else I have failed to mention so far were all superb, especially some imaginative use of creative lighting. But most importantly the entire cast seemed to be enjoying every minute of their stage time, and that transfused from them to the audience, and ameliorated our enjoyment of the show. 

A high energy, cleverly realised, and very proficient production from a talented team. Bravo. I look forward to being able to come along and see whatever you have in store for us next!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 23.3.22