Review: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at New Conservatory Theatre Center
Little Shop of Horrors continues through October 25th.
Little Shop of Horrors, whose star is a bloodthirsty flora, plants its roots at the New Conservatory for the opening of its 26-27 season and it’s an energetic, darkly comic, gender bending allegory for all that wrong with our current state of affairs. Seymour, an orphaned, awkward florist shop worker discovers an exotic plant that flourishes when fed human blood. In a Faustian pact, Seymour must feed the plant victims and in return reap the fame and riches of his discovery.
How far will he, or any of us go, to get what we want? Is his co-worker Audrey’s love enough? A lecture tour, TV show and representation by William Morris enough? Roeen Nooran and trans actor Bria Gaia Padilla are the star-crossed lovers Seymour and Audrey, while John Mannion is the ill-fated shop owner Mushnick. Ryan Patrick Welsh gets the juiciest role as the deranged, sadistic dentist Orin among numerous bit roles.
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Along for the zany ride are a do-wop Greek chorus, here re-assigned as street urchins (Kamillah Cole, Jas Cook, and Vanessa Mendy). Director Ben Villegas Randle has made few minor changes; the location is moved from Eisenhower prosperity times to the skid row of the Reagan era envisioned by scenic designer Matt Owens. The choice of a transfemme Audrey as the victimized and marginalized character is both topical and speaks to NCTC’s vision, along with other trans members of the ensemble.
Ashman and Menken’s score based on the schlock 1960 B-movie, including the hits “Suddenly Seymour” and “Somewhere That’s Green”, would catapult them to huge successes with the Disney juggernaut. It’s rare that an anthropomorphic creature becomes the focal point of a show, but here puppetry designer Dave Haaz-Baroque’s sharp-toothed Venus flytrap is a delight. Voiced by William Schmidt, Audrey II is demanding and manipulative, an allegory for today’s spreading evils.
Little Shop of Horrors continues through October 25th. Tickets are available by calling the A.C.T. Box Office at 415-861-8972 or boxoffice@nctcsf.org
Photo credit: Lois Tema
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