★★★★★
One of the most hotly anticipated revivals of 2026 is Little Shop of Horrors, which is currently playing Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester before transferring to Liverpool Playhouse. Whilst there has not been a major London or touring production of LSOH for some time, there have been several regional productions, some of them lacking the production value required to make this show a success. This production, however, is no expenses spared, with an esteemed creative team who have thrown everything but the kitchen sink.
The musical, which premiered in 1982, is loosely based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors. Written by Howard Ashman, it is a gleefully macabre horror comedy that masterfully balances dark, campy satire with genuine sincerity. Almost the entire narrative is set in an unsuccessful plant store on Skid Row, owned by the selfish Mr Mushnik (Michael Starke). His staff is made up of the nerdy Seymour (Jed Berry) and the soft-natured Audrey (Maisie Smith in Manchester; Jessie Elland in Liverpool). Whilst Seymour is in love with the hyper-feminine Audrey, who is ostensibly out of his league, she is in a volatile relationship with the abusive Orin “The Dentist” Scrivello (Benjamin Yates). Everything changes when Seymour’s experiments lead to a bloodthirsty plant, affectionately called “Audrey II” (voiced by Marcus Ayton).
The cast also includes Psalms-Nissi Myers-Reid, Gabrielle Davina Smith and Rio Maye as The Urchins, who are portrayed as cross between a Greek chorus and a Motown-esque girlband (à la the Fates in Hercules), and an ensemble made up of Ella Howlett, Joseph Peacock, Nathen Scott, and Kai Cameron Jay.
It’s an incredible cast, with every single actor giving their absolute all (more is more in this show). Berry stays totally loveable despite his character’s descent into darkness, Smith proves any naysayers wrong with her vivacious vocals and spot-on accent, and Yates is possibly the most vocally talented (and yes, sexiest) actor to ever portray the Dentist. Whilst this is a mostly faithful adaptation, the Dentist has been reimagined, so that one can understand why a nice lady like Audrey was initially attracted to somebody so controlling and cruel. When I told Yates that the show is possibly getting a 5, he joked, “That’s for the crop top!”
LSOH is campy B-Movie satire which leans heavily into a zany, tongue-in-cheek theatricality. The humour is wry and hip rather than strictly nasty, treating the absurdity of the plot with an exaggerated, melodramatic flair. There is a macabre yet upbeat mashup, in which the gory, B-movie sci-fi premise is skilfully juxtaposed with an infectious, high-energy 1960s pop, doo-wop, and Motown score, creating a sharp contrast where morbid situations are driven by cheerful, finger-snapping melodies, which heightens the absurdity of the plot (and the wider genre). But beneath the melodrama and comedy, there is a biting social critique; the tone is deeply cynical about the American Dream. It acts as a Faustian cautionary tale targeting unchecked greed, capitalism, and the desperation born of poverty on Skid Row. Whilst the show is ostensibly just unashamed, outrageous fun, there is a surprising sincerity: despite the ridiculousness of a man-eating plant, the tone towards the human characters is deeply empathetic and sentimental. Songs like ‘Somewhere That’s Green’ and ‘Suddenly, Seymour’ are played with absolute earnestness, making the dark, tragic ending feel emotionally grounded, even if the plot is too silly to evoke genuine sadness from the audience.
The score, by the legendary Alan Menken, features early 1960s-style rock and roll, doo-wop and early Motown. Whilst it has not produced as many hits as some of his other musicals – the best-known are, of course, the titular song (‘Prologue’) and the aforementioned ‘Suddenly, Seymour’ – every single song is, unsurprisingly with Menken at the helm, an absolute bop. It’s two solid hours of groove.
Hope Mill Theatre is one of the most impressive theatres in the country. Whilst it’s just a black box studio, it’s incredibly versatile, and I am always so surprised by what they can do with such a small space. However, the creatives of this show were no doubt helped by the fact that almost the entire narrative takes place in, or just outside of, the flower shop. Morgan Large’s set consists of a huge “SKID ROW” sign, which opens to reveal the shop. When we are transported to the dentists, only the “DR” light up, which is clever. It’s a meticulously designed set, with excellent attention to detail, and flowers for days! The Audrey II puppets (there are several as it gets bigger and bigger) have been impressively created and operated, with the last scene blowing the audience away, thanks in no small part to Rory Beaton’s creative lighting, which is very camp sci-fi. Large’s costumes, especially the ones worn by Audrey (and Yates’ crop top, of course), are divine. Kelsh Buckman Drage provides superb sound design.
This revival of Little Shop of Horrors, directed and choreographed by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, feels both faithful and fresh, giving fans of the musical what they want but also gently updating some of the commentary to speak more to today (especially with the reimagined sexxxy Dentist).
Little Shop of Horrors runs at Hope Mill Theatre until November 28 before transferring to Liverpool Playhouse from December 3 2026 to January 9 2027.
