Little Shop of Horrors | Cope Creative & de Jager Productions
When I was poring over the program for Anywhere Festival, I was thrilled to see a rendition of the cult classic Little Shop of Horrors coming to the Elements Collective venue. I grew up on the movie in the 80’s, and it is very close to my heart for so many reasons. Ultimately, it’s a combination of the music composed by Alan Menken and the lyrics written by Howard Ashman that get me every time. Coming in a close second is Charles Griffith’s killer screenplay.
Timid Seymour works in a flower shop on Skid Row and is absolutely smitten with his co-worker Audrey. During a total eclipse of the sun, he discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey II. Soon it becomes apparent that the plant is a carnivorous alien species, and Seymour must do whatever it takes if he is going to keep it alive. The plant draws a lot of attention, and the flower shop flourishes, making it even harder for Seymour to say no to Audrey II.
I caught the closing night of the recent rendition by Cope Creative and De Jager Productions on Sunday. With a powerhouse cast, lavish costumes and no less than five puppets to recreate Audrey II, it was a spectacular. From the very first scene I could sense the style of Directors Riley Cope and Marina De Jager. It was big, bold, and visually striking, with energetic talent as far as the eye could see.
Amongst some strong Directorial decisions, they increased the ensemble cast significantly – specifically the singers and dancers. Originally it was just the three street urchins, and the few extra characters, like a drunk with a bottle, but in this production, there were at least ten additional supporting performers. They had incredible harmony and as they swelled out for the opening number my heart was racing.
It led me to thinking about the intimate theatre of the original, versus the chorus line feel in this production. I can enjoy both of these styles anytime, but one of the things I love about Little Shop of Horrors is the intimacy. I feel like it enhances the darkness that is growing on Skid Row, and the clandestine nature of the activities going on in Mr Mushnik’s flower shop. Despite this, I still slipped right into the groove with this cast and was singing along in no time.
Of all the Directorial decisions I disagree with, most are just a matter of personal taste. What remains are the decisions I believe can be detrimental to specific people, groups, or culture/s in general. One issue I haven’t been able to shake about this rendition is the casting of the urchins as white women, when these three characters have traditionally been played by African American women.
The urchins are even named after three African American R&B girls groups in the ‘60s, the Crystals, the Ronettes and the Chiffons. They explain why the music has a Motown and Doo-wop feel, and in my opinion, they legitimize that. Equally as important, they are key characters. They are the only characters that know what’s going on and can break the fourth wall, and they are in almost every musical number.
Don’t get me wrong, the urchins in this rendition were played with sass by the three gifted performers Abby Bowye, Kate Peardon and Femke Van der Kallen. However, I also see their roles as potential opportunities that might have been taken away from BIPOC performers, at the same time taking away characters that BIPOC people can relate to, and potentially see themselves as.
I must express, that I have no knowledge of the casting process for this show, and whether or not Cope and De Jager attempted to cast BIPOC performers, and what that process might look like. I also understand they might have a company of performers already. There are so many variables that could be at play here, but I think it’s important to have these discussions.
Prior to devouring this version, I was genuinely anxious about one thing in particular, and that is whether or not I would be put off by another actress playing Audrey. I adore Ellen Greene the actress who played her on Broadway and in the film, and the signature lisp she developed for Audrey’s voice.
Ally Hickey might be lisp-less, but she sure won me over. I have never heard anything quite like the timbre of her voice. It’s so clear and pure, like the song of a bird. She is also an amazing actress, and her portrayal of Audrey was authentic and touching. When she sang Somewhere That’s Green, I think she may have even cried. Or was that me? Maybe it was both of us.
Sam Henderson was so enjoyable as the loveable Seymour. He has such a versatile voice and he was utterly believable, through a huge story arc that sees him go from meek and mild to completely mad. Speaking of madness, I cannot go without mentioning Rowan Howard who played the Dentist. He was brilliant in a complex comic role that is larger than life and can not only make or break the actor, but it can also make or break the show. He clearly made it.
Finally, I was so enamoured with some of the sophisticated finishing touches on this production. For example, the ballet dancers en pointe in the flower shop and their tutus with flowers they were actually using as props. The flower pot head characters. It was all so charming. Again, part of Cope and De Jager’s signature style, and the Costume Design of Megan Lohrisch.
For something I thought was going to be all entertainment, and it truly was great entertainment, this production really made me think beyond the stage, and to the creators. It made me question the role of entertainment in our lives, and ultimately, my responsibility as a reviewer. I really enjoyed this show, but is that enough? And when it comes to changes which we are all familiar with e.g., a female playing a male role or the myriad of others that occur all the time, when is change not acceptable?
