Between a bloodthirsty plant, a sadistic dentist and a florist with ambitions far beyond his circumstances, Little Shop of Horrors is a wonderfully bizarre combination of dark comedy, romance and musical theatre, and it’s arrived at Manchester’s own Hope Mill Theatre.
Having previously seen the production on Broadway, with Darren Criss as Seymour and Evan Rachel Wood as Audrey, I arrived with fairly high hopes. What I hadn’t anticipated was just how much this production would exceed them.
With a phenomenal cast, wonderfully camp performances and an infectious energy that rarely lets up, this is musical theatre at its most entertaining. The kind that leaves you with goosebumps, a ridiculous smile on your face and absolutely no desire for the evening to end.
Hope Mill Theatre is an intimate venue, which is particularly fitting for a production like Little Shop of Horrors. The production makes excellent use of its relatively compact stage, initially introducing audiences to the rundown neighbourhood of Skid Row with illuminated lettering across the exterior of Mushnik’s florist. As the stage expands, the shop doors open and we’re welcomed into the peculiar little world where much of the story unfolds.
Despite the limitations that might ordinarily come with a smaller performance space, the staging never feels restricted. Every inch is put to use without the action becoming overcrowded, and the proximity to the performers only adds to the experience.
In fact, the intimacy works remarkably well with the setting. Skid Row is a place where opportunities feel scarce and ambitions extend far beyond the neighbourhood itself. The confined surroundings seem to reinforce that ‘small town’ feeling, which is fitting for two of its residents who dream of a very different life.
At the centre of the story are Seymour (Jed Berry) and Audrey (Maisie Smith), two employees of Mr Mushnik’s (Michael Starke) struggling florist. While Seymour quietly pines for a life out of Skid Row, Audrey finds herself trapped in an abusive relationship with the thoroughly unpleasant dentist Orin Scrivello (Benjamin Yates).
A cast that thrives on comedy and character
Maisie Smith is simply magnificent as Audrey. There’s a wonderful grace to her performance, even as she portrays a character whose circumstances are anything but graceful. Audrey’s vulnerability is central to her story, and Smith captures it beautifully, allowing the character’s hopes and insecurities to emerge without ever making her feel helpless or one-dimensional.
Vocally, she’s exceptional. Her talent becomes apparent during the opening number, Skid Row (Downtown), but it’s in Somewhere That’s Green that she really has the opportunity to explore Audrey’s emotional depth. There’s a tenderness to her performance that makes the character’s modest dreams of a better life feel genuinely moving.
Alongside Jed Berry, Smith delivers a beautiful duet of Suddenly Seymour that feels like a natural culmination of everything we’ve come to understand about these two characters. Their voices complement one another wonderfully, creating one of the evening’s most memorable musical moments.
Berry, meanwhile, is an absolute delight as Seymour. His performance is wonderfully expressive, with impeccable comic timing and a willingness to embrace the musical’s more flamboyant tendencies. His exaggerated reactions and physical comedy regularly have the audience in stitches, yet there’s an endearing quality to his portrayal that prevents Seymour from becoming a caricature.
It’s an important distinction. Little Shop of Horrors is completely absurd, and a character like Seymour could easily become lost in the chaos. Instead, Berry finds an impressive balance between the ridiculous and the heartfelt. His larger-than-life comedy makes the quieter moments feel all the more sincere, while his beautifully smooth vocals bring another dimension to the role.
Then there’s Benjamin Yates, whose interpretation of Orin Scrivello is quite possibly the most gloriously unhinged performance of the evening. Chaotic, charismatic, unnerving, and outrageously camp, Yates throws himself into the role with extraordinary enthusiasm. His dentist is every bit as unpleasant as the character ought to be, yet somehow remains utterly irresistible to watch.
There’s a mischievous unpredictability to his performance. His mannerisms, exaggerated expressions and sheer theatrical confidence make even the most outrageous moments feel perfectly at home within this production. He’s undoubtedly a crowd favourite, and it’s easy to understand why.
Beyond the principal performances, the wider cast is equally impressive. The vocal talent throughout is outstanding, but what makes the ensemble particularly effective is its collective understanding of the show’s humour. Every comic exchange feels carefully judged, with the cast embracing the absurdity without allowing it to overwhelm the storytelling.
A little plant with a big personality
Of course, it wouldn’t be Little Shop of Horrors without Audrey II.
Bringing a giant, man-eating plant to life on an intimate stage is no small undertaking, but this production handles it brilliantly. The plant itself is impressively realised, with a quality of design that feels entirely at home in a much larger theatrical production.
Marcus Ayton is outstanding as Audrey II. His rich, commanding vocals and charismatic delivery bring an entirely different energy to the production. There’s a deliciously sinister quality to his performance, balanced with enough humour and personality to make Audrey II one of the show’s most entertaining characters.
Final thoughts
With every seat occupied and laughter regularly filling the auditorium, there was a wonderful atmosphere inside Hope Mill Theatre. It’s the kind of shared enjoyment that makes live theatre so special.
Having previously seen Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway, I certainly wasn’t expecting to leave this Manchester production wishing I could watch it all over again. Yet here we are.
A spectacular production that proves you don’t need a Broadway-sized stage to deliver Broadway-quality entertainment.
Little Shop of Horrors is running at the Hope Mill Theatre until 28 November. Book your tickets now.
**Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review
Kelsey Haslam is the founding editor of Magenta Adventures Travel Publication and a freelance travel writer with a focus on community-based travel, culture-led experiences, and theatre tourism. She is passionate about spotlighting lesser-known destinations and connecting travellers with meaningful, human-centred stories.
Her published work includes destination features and luxury hotel reviews for leading travel outlets such as A Luxury Travel Blog, Beau Monde Traveler, and Luxury Lifestyle Magazine.
Explore more about Kelsey’s background on the About Page.
