PUBLISHED 29 January 2024
It is always a pleasure to witness the impressive standard achieved in AKS musicals. Each year, I wonder if they can do it again, after the star-name students leave for university. Who could possibly replace them? And then, as we watch the show, we see for ourselves how the ‘next generation’ can step up to the plate and will keep the level of singing, dancing and acting as high as it always was: a testament to the staff who train them up, and to the pupils’ own enthusiasm, motivation and hard work.
In order not to be influenced by previous knowledge, I can safely report that I knew nothing about ‘Little Shop of Horrors’. I was, therefore, a bit disconcerted by the ending. Had the evil bloodthirsty plant conquered all? It seemed very pessimistic, but I realised later that the musical is a sort of critique of flawed people (even those we are supposed to identify with on stage) who over-value material gain to the detriment of their moral values …er…I think (not sure that wholly explains poor Audrey’s undeserved fate though…hmm). It still feels a bit to me as though the ‘baddies’ have won. Perhaps the moral is – don’t seek to bail out a failing business by cultivating a dangerously carnivorous tropical plant: point noted for the future. We all watched in horrified fascination at Audrey II’s stunningly luxuriant greenery as she ascended the stage, the cynosure of all eyes, like a creeper-clad Cleopatra.
A fabulous down-town skid-row setting awaited us in Act One with Mushnik’s buzzing neon-lit florist shop-sign providing illumination amid the tin cans, litter and graffiti. What a crummy place to try to sell plants and flowers! What sort of a sad schmuck would open a flower-store here? Jacob Beverley provided great comedic value as a cynical Phil-Silvers-style slippery shop-owner Mr. Mushnik who faced bankruptcy with furious resignation until his assistant Seymour (Henry Clarkson) shows him the flytrap-style plant he has cultivated.
The music was as beautifully rendered and delivered as ever, with verve and superb energy and breathwork. The standard was set by the Doo Wop girls of skid row - all clad (as befits their floral names) in intriguing shades of green, and beautifully choreographed as a choral voice to proceedings throughout. Throughout the show, Harriet, Maia, Anya, Ella, Lucy and Carly twirled, skipped, and sashayed over the stage with sassy exuberance - ably assisted by Gracie, Sammy, Lola, Hiruni, Connie and Jasmine. The music was a catchy tribute to the Motown girl-band sound of the 1960s. Excellent singing and syncopation were always in evidence, as we have come to anticipate.
Henry gave a terrific performance as Seymour with his nebbish thick taped-on glasses and patterned sleeveless sweater. He is on stage most of the time, but his voice never falters despite the fast patter-songs he is given and all the choreography he has to remember. A fabulous performance, Henry. His character, Seymour, thinks he’s too much of a sad loser to win the heart of Audrey (Alex Winter - what a singer, and an extremely convincing stage presence!).
Yet we all know it’s character that counts in the end. Little does Seymour guess of the place Audrey reserves in her heart for his considerate and gentle nature but she has got herself attached to the flying fists of her ill-chosen boyfriend, Orin – a mean, growling, leather-jacketed sociopath – convincingly portrayed by a kohl-eyed white-faced sneering Alex C. How did that bike-chain-swinging hoodlum ever manage to attain the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery? Maybe the stage isn’t the best place to look for realism. He’s no great advocate for his profession, that’s for sure: he is even addicted to his own nitrous oxide. I hope the dental surgery who generously took a full-page advertisement in the programme weren’t too offended by this outrageous tooth-doctor who has his own Badass Bike gang – snarlingly portrayed by the students in studded leathers and punkish hairstyles.
My favourite part – though it’s a close-run thing – was the two-hander with Jacob and Henry when Mr. Mushnik suggests he’d like to adopt Seymour, but only once his amazing profitable blood-sucking plant was proving such a financial success, of course. Much of this show references other works – it feels like it has elements of Grease and the Rocky Horror Show. This song, ‘Mushnik and Son’, reminds me of Dodger and Fagin in Oliver – even to the extent of the inclusion of a few bars of klezmer music - and the blend of witty lyrics and faultless choreography was much enjoyed by the audience. Similar plaudits went out from a rapturous crowd to Alex W. for her beautiful singing in ‘Somewhere That’s Green’ – a hymn to the glories of the American Dream, an escape from skid row to the suburbs. Again, this song was reminiscent of – perhaps even a deliberate nod to – Rosemary’s song ‘New Rochelle’ from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (yes, that did take a long time to type!).
I believe comedians get their friends in the audience to laugh in places or ask questions – in theatre-speak they are ‘plants’. But here the ‘plant’ is very much on stage – indeed she lies behind the doors of the shop, steadily growing and becoming more hungry for flesh. As a tribute to his love-icon, she is named Audrey II by a smitten Seymour. Late into Act One, she demands to be fed and the doors open to reveal a malevolent, medusa-haired green goddess - portrayed with slinky menace by Scarlett Phillipson. She too has a wonderful voice and stage presence and beautifully realised the imperious menace of this ever-growing, blood-sucking succulent.
It is nice to see the full range of ages in the cast, and to see a boy playing a female part for a change (how Shakespearian – well done, Johnnie R). The ensemble parts play a huge role in the atmosphere of frenetic activity as they react to the plot twists, and their stage business was delivered with great effectiveness and enthusiasm so that you believe in their role. Their moves were beautifully coordinated; I particularly enjoyed the ensemble changing so quickly into green bow ties and baseball caps and lifting telephone receivers with seamless synchronisation. Perhaps here it is fitting to mention Ms. Vidotti’s excellent contribution to the amazingly slick stage movement. What a gain to the annual production she has proved to be.
Let us now praise famous men – our musical director, Mr Brown, who has given countless hours to not only direct the singing and orchestral music, but also to organising the backstage helpers and conduct the band. I am in full agreement with his high estimation, in his programme notes, of the remarkable musicians, whose expertise made me feel that it must surely be a recording, and of the students’ ability to emulate the orchestra’s high standard with their singing. Their breath control was so strong that I wondered too if they were pre-recorded so that they could dance and sing without getting breathless. It's probably my age. I marvelled at the spectacular gymanstics of the Doo Wop girls. Never mind cartwheels: my ancient fingers can barely tear the wrapper of a Wagon Wheel. Mr. Brown was, as ever, ably assisted by Mr. Hodgkinson who is an important second voice both musically and dramatically, and an enthusiastic advocate for the show; sourcing materials for the impressive skid-row stage set.
What is so remarkable about the annual show is the enormous and complex spider’s-web of roles and duties which all need to be staffed. From the volunteer parents who sell programmes and raffle tickets, the make-up team, the costume team, lighting and sound managers and assistants. Add to this the programme advertisers – particularly the main sponsors, The Hot Tub Superstore. All of these essential elements play a vital role in providing the metaphorical fertiliser which allows the tall, splendid flower of the school production to bloom so brightly.
The rapturous applause was a wonderful birthday treat on the opening night for our producer and director, Miss Worthington. She, of course, in her programme notes, alongside other important people, thanked her assistant director, Miss Millard; costumier, Ms. Linaker, and choreographer, Ms. Vidotti, as well as Messrs. Brown and Hodgkinson. Quite right too.
But she also thanked the pupils for their dedication to rehearsals and commitment to improvement – always something we at AKS seek to emphasise. A show like this gives students in all years the opportunity to be the best that they can be, but it needs a leader with the vision to realise their potential. I taught Martha when she was a girl at somewhere that was green (well, uniform-wise anyway), and was delighted when she came to the staff. She is a quiet, determined and ultra-professional colleague who lives and breathes her subject area; holding herself to the highest of standards (even after getting rundown and ill before the show: rundown as in exhausted not knocked down by a bus BTW). Indeed, we other teachers marvel at the extra hours our music and drama colleagues put in after school, at holidays and at weekends, and it is fitting to end this review by thanking Martha on behalf of us all for her time and dedication.
It was not hard to see how this gothic, schlocky B-movie musical tribute has packed in audiences in the West End and Broadway. The memorable songs, the terrifying tendrils of Audrey II, the pathos and comedy all work to keep us enthralled throughout. The captivated audience enjoyed a reprise of the main ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ theme, clapping and whooping away until we returned from the trash cans of skid row out of the theatre to the more rarefied surroundings of the Lowther Gardens
Mr D E Smyth