STAGE: Little Shop of Horrors – Playhouse Drama theatre, Durban
– Final evening performances at 7.30pm today, Friday and Saturday. There is also a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday and the final performance is at 3pm on Sunday.
Book at Webtickets –
— REVIEW BY BILLY SUTER —
ANOTHER hearty slap on the back for Nick Jourdan, hard-working director of this, the 41st annual stage musical by Northcliff High School in Johannesburg which, as it has done every June/July for the past 25 years, is performing its latest annual musical at Durban’s Playhouse Drama theatre.
The 2025 production, which opened in Durban to a highly appreciative, near-capacity audience last night and runs only until Sunday, is the delightful, spoof-horror musical, Little Shop of Horrors. It is a joyous romp about a nerdy floral shop worker who discovers a sentient carnivorous plant that feeds on human blood.
The show started life as a 1960, B-grade, horror film by Roger Corman, featuring a then-little-known Jack Nicholson. It was adapted into an off-Broadway musical in 1982 by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, who went on to create the music Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. The stage musical then became a 1986 film teaming Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene. Bill Murray and Steve Martin.
This stage production by Northcliff High School, which ran at the school in Johannesburg before visiting Durban, has been directed and produced by Jourdan, who was also behind such touring Northcliff successes as last year’s Matilda the Musical, The Addams Family, Spamalot, Sister Act, Pirates of Penzance, Crazy for You, Anything Goes, High School Musical, Footloose, Chicago and Me and My Girl.
Jourdan always works magic with his youthful casts and, over the years, has unearthed much promising talent – among them award-winners Carmen Pretorius and Jonathan Roxmouth, both of whom have gone on to much bigger things. Under Jourdan’s direction, the Northcliff shows have often proved well-above-average high school musicals, and this year’s production is one of them.
Little Shop of Horrors has always been a delicious musical, with some terrific songs and parody, and with this energetic and exuberant cast it works a treat.
Grade 12 pupil Joshua Wareham has been in a number of Northcliff productions (he was a hoot as Matilda’s lazy, dimwit brother, Michael, in last year’s Matilda the Musical) and now stars as the lead character, florist worker Seymour. He is confident, in good voice and gives a lively, spirited and amusing performance.
Grade 11 pupil Adriana Sevell, who excelled in the title role in Matilda the Musical last year, is also a standout this year, and in powerful, beautiful voice. She raises a constant smile as Audrey, Seymour’s bimbo co-worker and potential love interest.
Special mention must also go to Grade 11 pupil Emily Blake as Mrs Mushnik, the owner of the florist shop on Skid Row (the character has been changed from “Mr”, due to a shortage of boys). It is her first lead role and she does a mighty fine job. Another audience favourite on opening night was newcomer Kieran Lalloo, who is in Grade 9 and plays Audrey’s boyfriend, a sadistic dentist, although he could be more menacing and project more at times.
A supporting cast playing street kids and other roles, and constantly performing simple but effective choreography, completes the team – and a very special mention must go the fun design and puppeteering of the show’s monster. It is a singing and blood-hungry plant that dominates the stage and is well voiced by former pupil Garrin Solomons and cleverly manipulated by another former pupil, Garrick Brickhill.
Applause, too, for the live orchestra of nine professional musicians, lead by accomplished musical director Matthew Vlok, previously from Durban.
Tickets for Little Shop of Horrors are only R100 each (R80 for seniors). Great value! Booking is at Webtickets and final evening performances are at 7.30pm this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There is also a 2.30pm matinee on the Saturday and the final performance is at 3pm on Sunday, July 6.
At the Playhouse there are bar facilities and a coffee shop. There is secure parking available at the Royal Hotel Parking Garage with security marshals along the street from the Royal to the Playhouse Theatre. Parking is at a reduced rate when getting your parking ticket validated in the theatre foyer.
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.....SoSuterBill..... 