Little Shop of Horrors reveals young cast of great talent

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s Little Shop of Horrors, which went on the boards at the Overseas School of Colombo from November 30 to December 2, was a brilliantly conceived piece of theatre that had the audience mesmerised from beginning to end.

The set extended to the middle section of the auditorium, with the audience sitting on three sides in a traverse style, thus enabling a wholesome theatrical experience. The stage constituted the precinct of “downtown,” a crucial setting of the play where both the company (ensemble) and main characters enacted significant events within the plot.

Director Rachel Jackson had choreographed the scenes with remarkable insight. The entire auditorium was used as characters negotiated the events that unfolded in this dark comedy.

The director had also innovated on the script by making some changes to the company songs, with a view, I presume, to be more inclusive in a school production. Instead of the three central female characters that tackle most of the songs in the off-Broadway production, here the numbers were handled by the entire ensemble. This strategy worked well, as the ensemble parts were beautifully choreographed and executed.

The lead characters executed their roles with skill and maturity. Chirath Wickramaratne as Mr. Mushnik embodied the overbearing, crafty, and ruthless aspects of the character’s personality with confidence and even ad libbed some vernacular words to show his frustration with his failing business and supposedly inefficient employees. The duet “Mushnik and Son” between him and Seymour was particularly impressive.

Ethan Shaul as the dentist gave a virtuoso performance, providing comic relief while also bringing out the evil nature of the character. Naomi Omprasadam added the right amount of sensitivity and street smart to her portrayal of Audrey, projecting the hopelessness of life on Skid Row poignantly. Her rendition of “Somewhere that’s green” was both powerful and moving.

Sophia Obretenova, as Audrey 11, gave a memorable performance, bringing out the darker aspects of the play while entertaining the audience with her powerful vocals.

Akhil Pilapitiya, as Seymour, carried the role with maturity, portraying different moods with finesse. It was a pleasure to watch this young actor embrace the complexity of his character, both through his vocals and acting skills.

The number “Sudden Changes/Git It” between Seymour and Audrey 11 was packed with energy but was nuanced enough to convey the unravelling dark aspect of the play effectively to the audience.

The five-piece band was the dream of any director attempting such an ambitious project. Musical director Young Kim conducted the band with style, and the talent of the musicians was evident in the way they handled Menken’s complex score. The lighting provided the perfect background needed, especially as the plot built up from dark comedy to the macabre.

The entire crew consisted of students, managing the lighting, sound, and stage management.

It was indeed a most satisfying evening at the theatre.