Sometimes theatre gives us those great, enjoyable nights demanding nothing of the audience; it doesn't claim to be intellectually stimulating, ground-breaking or life-changing, but a harmless piece of escapism with the promise of two hours of fun. Little Shop of Horrors is one of those shows. Camp, silly and catchy, the Menier's revival is definitely a refreshing break from the barrage of blockbuster musicals currently playing in the West End, and even manages to surpass them for entertainment value.
But then how can you go wrong? The story is quite ridiculous, but great fun too. When flower shop owner Mr Mushnik (Barry James) is forced to close his business, shop assistant Seymour (Paul Keating) steps in with a solution – an intriguingly odd new plant that's bound to attract attention. With crowds flocking to the shop, Seymour discovers the only way the plant will survive is to feed it with fresh blood. How can he woo the attractive assistant Audrey (Sheridan Smith) and fend off her violent boyfriend Orin (Jasper Britton)? Well, in all manner of silly ways, as the plot absurdly unfolds.
Little Shop of Horrors runs the risk of being amateurishly parodied, but with Matthew White's excellent direction, it's played with a perfect balance of self-knowing humour, but never goes too far. David Farley's long set, played right across the space, conjures up images from that other downtown quirky hit Avenue Q – all brick walls and smashed windows. The shop slides on cleverly, unfolding to reveal its interior. It looks vaguely amateurish, but that's sort of part of its charm. Audrey II, the plant which grows to fill the shop, is perhaps not given the most inventive of creative interpretations – it's a fairly standard puppet plant – but it still delights in its comic ability.
Sheridan Smith, as Audrey, is fantastic; constantly threatening to burst out of her tiny dress (which is comically alluded to), she brings a great deal of depth to the role – she is, after all, being beaten by her boyfriend. Her rendition of Somewhere That's Green moves her to tears, a very emotional performance, but she's also very funny too (TV viewers will recognise her from cult comedies The Royle Family and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps). Her occasional giggles and shy, off-the-cuff looks at Seymour are priceless. An excellent performance.
Paul Keating ditches the generic geeky portrayal of Seymour (as played by Rick Moranis in the film) and puts on a much more shy, nervous character, but leaves enough charm to woo Audrey and win over her heart. Like Sheridan Smith, he manages to offer a glimpse of the trauma he's under despite the otherwise pantomimic nature of the show. Barry James – the original London Seymour – successfully graduates to the role of Mushnik, whilst Mike McShane voices Audrey II with a humorous, well-pitched voice. Jasper Britton is a very menacing Orin, as well he should be as an abusive boyfriend.
But the surprise stars of the show are Katie Kerr, Melitsa Nicol and Jenny Fitzpatrick as the trio of urchins who roam the streets and offer a musical commentary on the show. They give absolutely hilarious performances, especially Kerr - straight out of drama school - who shows great promise to be a rising comic performer. Opening the show with the catchy prologue ('Little Shop of Horrors'), they remind us just how excellent Alan Menken's score is whilst making some laugh-out-loud facial expressions to match.
