Riveting Wonders of the Little Shop of Horrors
By Farah Hamed
By Farah Hamed
An extraterrestrial plant that craved human flesh left people wondering if they should purchase flowers for the future Valentine's Day. The eerie atmosphere that was developed in the recent production of Little Shop of Horrors by All Saints High School served heapfuls of personalities that eminently conducted the journey of the protagonist's dilemmas as he navigated love with morality.
The musical pursues the riveting wonders of Seymour, a meek florist who pines for his co-worker whilst discovering a peculiar man-eating plant. As the plant's desire for human flesh grows, Seymour feeds Orin, his crush's boyfriend, to it to guarantee a relationship between him and his infatuation, Audrey. While the exotic plant's thirst for blood grows, Seymour devises who his next victim shall be.
The solid performance of Avery Ikede as Seymour adequately balanced the emotions of a lost orphan to a gallant young man who pursued freedom from Skid Row. Although he intensely counselled intimate scenes with his requited love, Avery did not elude from demonstrating Seymour's whimsical temperament. His vocals were chiefly pleasant in delivering harmonious notes with the accompaniment of the subtle ensemble.
The charismatic Ava Atherton's consummation of Audrey was transcendent in its range of expressions. Her exquisite countenance and soft glances accentuated Audrey's humility while she supported the protagonist's progression. When the plot thickened, Ava developed boldness in the display of her character's comfort in Mushnik's Flower Shop. Predominantly, her stable depiction of Audrey's melancholic experiences sweetened with subtle glee was a prolific decision by Atherton that drove the musical until its conclusion.
Taylor Snelling's natural resilience was compelling in her portrayal of Orin. Taylor's deep tone was a striking addition that encouraged her to heighten Orin's pompousness. Her display of distinct mannerisms, whether it was by slicking her hair back or cavorting with a drill, offered comedic relief that provided respite from the narrative's tension. Despite Orin having been an abhorrent role, Snelling's representation of him was remorsefully addictive.
The lighting was suitable to the comedic atmosphere of the musical with the application of appeasing shades of light yellow. Lighting cues were frequently unblemished and supported the storytelling of Audrey's longing for somewhere green. Spotlights were successful at illuminating pivotal characters that enhanced the production.
The musical's macabre theme was ingeniously demonstrated by the dynamic cast that balanced a mournful narrative with superb comical alleviation. Throughout Seymour's complete expedition, raw emotions were encapsulated and supported by jaunty screams of terror that haunted the ambience of the performance as the lights faded.