Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!mhuxl!houxm!houxz!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!sri-unix!malis@BBNCCS.ARPA From: malis@BBNCCS.ARPA Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Little Shop of Horrors Message-ID: <12170@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Tue, 7-Aug-84 06:23:30 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12170 Posted: Tue Aug 7 06:23:30 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 10-Aug-84 01:45:21 EDT Lines: 37 From: Andrew MalisPlay review: Little Shop of Horrors (**** of 5) Little Shop of Horrors is a wonderfully funny musical comedy based upon Roger Corman's low-budget 1960 "classic" film of the same name. It tells the story of Seymour, a nebbish who works in Mushnik's Florist Shop on Skid Row, which is about to go out of business. He saves the shop, and gets the girl (a clerk in the shop), by discovering a small unique plant he calls the Audrey II (after the girl). Of course, it takes him a little while to realize what makes Audrey II grow, but once he gets it going, it takes on a life and personality all of its own ... The music is great and the lyrics are funny (the plot is occasionally pushed along by a "greek chorus" of three ghetto girls). What really (literally) stands out, however, is Audrey II. There are actually five or six different Audrey II's during the play, all designed and built by Martin P. Robinson, who is curently with the Muppets and plays Mr. Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street. They are manipulated by William Szymanski, and Michael Leslie provides a very appropriate voice. They are marvels of puppet technology. I saw the national touring company in Boston, where it will be playing for another month, and I believe the original off-Broadway production is still going in New York (and it may still be playing in London as well). In Boston, it was directed by Howard Ashman, who also wrote the book and lyrics and directed the New York and London productions (and is working on the screen adaptation of the show). All three companies have gotten very good reviews, and the night I saw it the (large) house was packed and everyone loved it. FEED ME!!! Andy