There’s quite a monster at the center of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at Marriott Theatre
The Chicago International Puppet Festival is some 30 miles to the south, but the Audrey II that shows up in director Tommy Rapley’s staging of “Little Shop of Horrors” would certainly have merited a spot.
The nasty plant, the savior of Mushnik’s florist store, but with an unhealthy hunger for the struggling employees therein, is quite the beast of foliage. Instead of the traditional vertical cannibal, Marriott audiences are getting a kind of dragon that takes several ensemble members to manipulate, along with the practiced vocals of Lorenzo Rush Jr. — this Audrey II being far from his first rodeo. When Audrey disappeared into this bespoke creation, I thought the actress Maya Rowe might never emerge whole. Like, in real life.
“Little Shop of Horrors” was the satirical off-Broadway show that first brought the songwriting team of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman to the attention of Disney, thus delivering to the children of the world such earworm scores as those for “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid.” The big song from that third animated movie, “Part of Your World,” is essentially a more expansive retooling of the hit song in “Little Shop of Horrors,” a droll ballad for Audrey called “Somewhere That’s Green,” which Rowe, a big talent, knocks far out of Skid Row and halfway to Kenosha.
Any show can be done in the round, Marriott has claimed at various points in its history, but “Little Shop” is harder than most and, at times, the Marriott’s production feels a little too suburbanized, if you know what I mean (mega plant notwithstanding). This particular title works best in a rather scrappier and more intimate staging, with a conceit that pays more homage to its B-movie origins.
I have huge respect for this highly experienced cast: Mark David Kaplan as Mushnik, Jackson Evans as Seymour, Andrew Mueller as Orin the sadistic dentist and the lively street urchin trio of Daryn Whitney Harrell, Miciah Lathan and Lydia Burke. They are major pros, every one.
But it’s also fun to see this show with younger, quirkier actors so the whole thing is a tad edgier, a might sleazier and generally a bit more punky than predictable. As solid as it is throughout — better than solid in places — the show does beg the question of why do “Little Shop” right now? Rapley is a director who always has struck me as having a very strong point of view; I hope he retains that strength as he moves up to bigger institutional theaters like this one. If you live some ways away and have seen this show before, there’s not a lot here demanding you see this staging.
That said, there are always folks making their first visit to the florist and, although the house was far from sold out on Saturday night (to my surprise, frankly), there were a good number of families present, all having fun with one of the most fun musicals ever penned.
