Little Shop of Horrors

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Masque Theatre’s Little Shop of Horrors is a triumph of creativity, craft, and sheer theatrical fun. From the opening beat, this production brims with energy and confidence, delivering a show that’s as funny as it is unsettling. Every element — from the singing to the design — is polished to a high shine, and yet the staging never loses the raw, mischievous bite that makes this cult musical so beloved.

The cast is uniformly excellent. Seymour (Gregan Aherin) is played with a perfect balance of awkward sweetness and desperate ambition, while Audrey’s (Kay Mosiane) mix of fragility and warmth draws genuine emotion from the audience. Their chemistry makes every duet land with heart. Mushnik is larger-than-life and hilarious, while the Urchins keep the story pulsing forward with sharp harmonies and whip-smart attitude. Every voice fills the theatre, and the musical direction ensures not a single note is wasted.

But the most ingenious stroke in this production is how it handles Audrey II. Instead of relying on expensive puppetry or animatronics, the creative team has given the plant a persona — a Freddy Krueger–like figure (director Jeffrey Johnson) who stalks outside the pot, interacting with characters and audience alike. It’s a bold solution that not only sidesteps technical constraints but also deepens the horror. With the plant embodied as a physical, menacing presence, the story gains an eerie immediacy: the monster isn’t just lurking in the shadows, it’s right there in the room, taunting, tempting, and devouring. This approach turns the show into a love letter to classic horror films — a sly nod to slasher villains and pop-culture monsters, wrapped in camp theatricality.

The staging is smart and flexible, with sets, albeit very simple, and lighting that shift seamlessly between comedy, romance, and dread. Skid Row feels grimy and alive, while the shop itself transforms from run-down to menacing as the plant’s power grows. Costumes and choreography serve the story rather than distract, ensuring every scene feels alive and perfectly judged in tone.

What makes this production shine is its ability to juggle tones — playful one moment, sinister the next — without ever losing the audience. It entertains, it unsettles, and it stays with you long after you leave the theatre. By embracing creativity over spectacle, the team has produced a version of Little Shop that feels both faithful and daringly original. In short: this Little Shop of Horrors is funny, frightening, and fabulously inventive. If you want a night at the theatre that’s packed with music, menace, and a monster unlike any you’ve seen before, The Masque has just served it up.