Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors, at Central Hawke’s Bay Municipal Theatre until 29 June, is an excellent example of doing a few simple things well, rather than attempting everything all at once. 

Director LJ Easter has pulled together a tight and disciplined piece that plays to the strengths of her cast and crew. Strengths include musicality and stage presence; choreography is achievable rather than overly ambitious.

There’s not much to the story. It’s a classic rags-to-riches, boy-meets-girl, overcoming-the-monster (overcoming-the-houseplant!) plot line. Easter though has squeezed every ounce of action out of it. She’s provided a rock-solid scaffold that gives enough to maintain interest throughout. 

The two leads are of a high calibre and will do well after some more time on the boards. Mahinārangi Lawrence’s Audrey kicks into drive after a shaky start and from there her solos are show stoppers. Elijah Graham, as Seymour, has enviable stamina and he needs it as he has little-to-no breathing room off-stage.

An accomplished trio – part-Greek chorus, part-backing singers – carries the narrative along, amplifying turning points and bringing energy to a couple of ‘flabby middles’. Soleil and Keshia Fletcher, and Victoria Logan are a tight unit, greater than the sum of their parts, although each has a big voice, masterful stagecraft and some tidy dance moves.

The real star is Shaun Newell who plays a myriad of bit parts like a crazed Neil Patrick Harris doing Count Olaf in all his many guises and disguises. His use of his body as a tool of the trade smacks of classic Gaulier. 

The set is outstanding. With a detailed mise-en-scene it gives a satisfying backdrop for the action and a canvas for the lighting. The clever and considered use of lighting highlights mood and tone shifts, harmonising with the emotional journey of the leads. Vignettes in front of the curtain during scene changes are creatively devised and executed and, in some ways, the most rewarding moments in the piece. 

Much of the success of this work is with the invisible troupe behind the scenes, from the lighting designer to the stage hands, to the cute and then terrifying puppetry. It’s a production that’s testament to the talent and skills of those parts of the theatre ‘iceberg’ that are below the water level, and the eye line.

In the design and costuming, there’s subtlety at work that rewards an attentive viewer. The palette of drab in the first half shifts to a superfluity of sparkles and a riot of colour to signify Seymour’s growing success and gall.

A gem of this show – and partly why it’s worth the trek (in the dark, in the cold, in the rain, over the potholes) – is the orchestra. Ably led by the mayor – ah, don’t we just love small towns – it is a rare treat to have a live ensemble in the pit.

The theatre too is a treasure and well done to Waipawa M&D for bringing it to life. Spaces like this must be used. Too many are left to their ghosts. This one is certainly possessed by infamous lovies who have tread the boards here, but those younger members of this company promise a strong future for the theatre. 

It’s now up to audiences to give this run the full-houses it deserves.

Photos: Eva Bradley Photography