This is the perfect musical for the Stead/ King partnership as it offers many opportunities for both directing and design, all of which were fully embraced by the Kickstart producing team. It’s also the perfect audience pleaser which is just the right choice in these tough times.
Committie as the shirking, stammering Seymour has also chosen the perfect musical vehicle because as the fall guy, it’s the characters around him who do most of the work and steal the show. From Van Litsenborgh’s ditsy but darling Audrey to Hendrikz’s daringly demented dentist, there’s not much chance for anyone else to shine.
And still they do. The trio of dancing and singing girls have a good time as they tune into different moments dashingly dressed and hitting those tunes big time.
Then there’s nimble-toed Richard, who has paid his musical dues, but who would have picked him as that kind of mover! He hits the perfect pitch with his music and moves.
That doesn’t leave much time for Seymour and that’s not paying any attention to that potty plant that just keeps growing while keeping up the pressure to “feed me”.
Using her voice to hysterically funny effect, both when executing her deadpan deliveries and in song whether in sotto voce or belting it out, Van Litsenborgh throws her full body at her interpretation of the lusty Audrey to hilarious effect and sets the tone for all the other sideshow turns to hit hard with their characters.
As the drug-drenched dentist, Hendrikz turns those screws literally and figuratively from the moment he slinks and slides into view, obliterating any opposition to his performance. This is his turn to shine and he’s determined to dazzle and even blind as he switches to a high-voltage performance. Sharply written, he is given all the tools, but then it is all about his interpretation and bravado to keep the volume at full pitch. He drills the part with high drama and daring-do.
It’s a delightful two hours of thrills and deadly spills with Audrey II filling the intimate stage of this more confined space used so well for in-your-face musical theatre. The audience become part of the dynamics with everyone involved in this larger-than-life hysterically spinned-out-of-all-proportions tale.
It’s entertaining with smart direction, sweet designs and performances bouncing off Committie’s spluttering Seymour splendidly. You’re not going to get the heat turned up more sharply than this.