Trinity gives a quirky stamp to 'Little Shop of Horrors'
Trinity Rep has come a long way when it comes to having a musical presence in its lineup, a long way indeed from the days when impressive voices were few and far between. Because for the next month the theater is staging a “Little Shop of Horrors” that’s a joy to behold.
It’s a production that looks great, with Audrey Two plant puppets that could star on Broadway. It also covers all the vocal bases, while still having that quirky stamp of a well-oiled regional theater.
Mr. Mushnik’s struggling Skid Row flower shop pops out from behind a roll-up garage door (at least it did most of the time, save for a momentary technical glitch), while a crack band led by Esther Zabinski is perched on the roof.
And who better than Trinity vet Stephen Berenson to play nerdy Mr. Mushnik, the perfect nervous worry wart. The casting, in fact, was spot on, with Rebecca Gibel as his sexy assistant Audrey, making the most of tight skirts and a campy accent.
Stephen Thorne is fabulous as the sadistic, motorcycle-riding dentist Orin, who lives on laughing gas and inflicting pain. Thorne shows up in a skin-tight leather outfit, swinging his hips like Elvis, then rips off his leathers to reveal a white coat with a glittering DDS on the back.
Director Tyler Dobrowsky has made sure there are no shortage of clever touches, like the Marilyn Monroe reference when Audrey’s skirts flutters over her head while standing over a heating grate. And when Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette launch into their doo-wop routine, Janice Duclos, playing a drunken bag lady, chimes in from the sidelines.
The star of the show is, of course, Audrey Two, the plant from outer space that feeds on humans and threatens to take over the world. As she grows, feeding on not so nice people, bigger and bigger puppets, stunning creations from Monkey Boys Productions, appear in the shop.
But in Trinity’s version, Audrey Two takes human form as well, as Rachael Warren dressed in green tights, curling up in Mr. Mushnik’s lap.
In other roles, Jude Sandy couldn’t be better as the sweet, unassuming Seymour, the bubbling clerk who discovers the carnivorous Audrey Two, and nurtures her until he discovers he has a monster on his hands.
The production runs through May 12, and finds Trinity at its best when it comes to putting its own spin on a fun, if familiar, musical.