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‘Little Shop’ at Fox
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THEATER REVIEW: ”Little Shop of Horrors.” Through Sunday.
With its blood-thirsty, sharp-tongued plant, shrinking-violet florist and nitrous-swilling dentist, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s ”Little Shop of Horrors” has become the musical-theater equivalent of laughing gas.
Based on Roger Corman’s low-budget 1960 flick,”Little Shop” is a sensationally silly send-up of B-movie gore, end-of-the-planet science fiction and that perennial romantic-comedy formula: Boy gets girl. Plant eats girl. Boy loses girl.
Recently repotted for the Broadway stage, ”Little Shop of Horrors” now brings its untamed, unpruned self to the Fox Theatre, where it runs through Sunday. Directed by Jerry Zaks (”La Cage aux Folles”) and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall (”Wonderful Town”), the Broadway in Atlanta production is a veritable blooming garden of perky-as-a-daisy performances, wildly fertilized designs and smartly planted surprises.
A testament to the hybrid talent of Ashman and Menken (who later created Disney’s ”Beauty and the Beast”), ”Little Shop” may have once qualified as a dark and subversive comedy —- the ”Urinetown” of the ’80s. But despite its Faustian design, today it’s hard to take the story of a burping, body-snatching plant too seriously.
The magic of ”Little Shop” rests in its Motown-inspired musical roots and the tenderly budding romance of nerdy Seymour (Jonathan Rayson) and squeaky Audrey (Tari Kelly). When he acquires a strange-looking botanical specimen, Seymour names it Audrey II. Soon, he discovers that the carnivorous plant is as bloodthirsty as Count Dracula, as invasive as kudzu and as seductive-sounding as Barry White (voice by the excellent Michael James Leslie).
Like that other movie-based musical bon-bon ”The Producers,” ”Little Shop” employs a goofy hero and a paternal boss who become embroiled in a ridiculous get-rich-quick scheme that erupts into comic bedlam. But instead of Max Bialystock, here we have floral-shop owner Mr. Mushnik (the superb Lenny Wolpe), who recognizes that Audrey II is a calling card for curiosity seekers and potential customers.
Rayson brings a sweetly naive charm to the part of Seymour. James Moye, as Audrey’s sadistic dentist boyfriend Orin, is alternately snarly and giddy; it’s a pleasure to watch him laugh himself to death. Kelly makes a wonderfully ditzy Audrey; part Jayne Mansfeld, part Betty Boop, she gets laughter through the bruises.
And Yasmeen Sulieman, Nikki Renee Daniels and LaTonya Holmes are delightful as the soulful trio of Chiffon, Crystal and Ronette. (”Bop sh’bop, little shoppa terror.”)
Scott Pask’s forward-leaning set captures the claustrophobia of Skid Row and the Dickensian drear of Mushnik’s shop. William Ivey Long’s costumes, particularly for Audrey, are fetching and fun. And puppeteers Michael Latini, Paul McGinnis and Marc Petrosino manipulate Audrey II into a nimble and expressive pod with gnarly roots. (Puppet design is by the Jim Henson Workshop and Martin P. Robinson.)
”’Little Shop of Horrors” reads like an Edgar Allan Poe story for the Peewee Herman generation. Oozing clever lyrics and classical vaudeville schtick, occasionally sick, it’s good to the last drop.
THE 411: 8 p.m. today-Saturday. 2 p.m. Saturday. 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. $21-$54. Broadway in Atlanta, Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-817-8700, www.broadwayacrossamerica.com
The verdict: Laugh yourself to death.
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