February 24, 2010
Pembroke College Hall is a highly impressive building. A rich, historical concoction of stone pillars and stained glass windows, it proves to b the perfect setting for a comedy/horror/musical production.
For those of you not in the know, Little Shop Of Horrors started life in the early sixties. A B-Movie comedy/horror, featuring a young Jack Nicholson in an early role, it told the story of Seymour, a nerdy janitor who unwittingly creates an alien/plant hybrid, which he christens Audrey 2. Soon the plant starts attracting media attention, thanks to its uniqueness, but it also develops an uncontrollable appetite for human flesh.
The version played out tonight is the more familiar Howard Asman musical production, which spawned a hit movie adaptation in the eighties. The play is brought wonderfully to life by the young players, who do not put a foot, (or note), wrong throughout. Particularly good performances come from Matt Thomas, who proves supremely likeable as the plays' put-upon hero Seymour, Amadeus Stevenson, who is wonderfully slick and sadistic as The Dentist, a role originally played by Nicholson and then later by Steve Martin, and Charlie Daniels as Audrey, Seymour's love interest, and the person whom he names the plant after.
Every cast member boasts a stupendous singing voice, making the college hall feel more like the Royal Albert Hall at times. One minor gripe is the sound quality. During the first half especially, the sound often appeared soupy and muffled, although even this did not distract from the overall quality of the production.
Fast, fun and frightening, Little Shop Of Horrors is recommended for all. A truly wonderful production.
For those of you not in the know, Little Shop Of Horrors started life in the early sixties. A B-Movie comedy/horror, featuring a young Jack Nicholson in an early role, it told the story of Seymour, a nerdy janitor who unwittingly creates an alien/plant hybrid, which he christens Audrey 2. Soon the plant starts attracting media attention, thanks to its uniqueness, but it also develops an uncontrollable appetite for human flesh.
The version played out tonight is the more familiar Howard Asman musical production, which spawned a hit movie adaptation in the eighties. The play is brought wonderfully to life by the young players, who do not put a foot, (or note), wrong throughout. Particularly good performances come from Matt Thomas, who proves supremely likeable as the plays' put-upon hero Seymour, Amadeus Stevenson, who is wonderfully slick and sadistic as The Dentist, a role originally played by Nicholson and then later by Steve Martin, and Charlie Daniels as Audrey, Seymour's love interest, and the person whom he names the plant after.
Every cast member boasts a stupendous singing voice, making the college hall feel more like the Royal Albert Hall at times. One minor gripe is the sound quality. During the first half especially, the sound often appeared soupy and muffled, although even this did not distract from the overall quality of the production.
Fast, fun and frightening, Little Shop Of Horrors is recommended for all. A truly wonderful production.