Little Shop of Horrors as presented by UCD Musical Society

UCD Musical Society 

Little Shop of Horrors 

Friday 28th February 2025 

Musical theatre is quite the odd phenomenon really. There is hardly a subject or a premise that is off the table. In fact, the more bizarre, the better. This season alone, I’ve seen everything from revolutionaries fighting for the right to pee, to a sponge attempting to avert a volcanic eruption. UCD Musical Society embraced the madness of this colourful world of ours, presenting the darkly absurd, often gruesome, ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ a perfectly plausible show about a bloodthirsty, flesh-eating plant from outer space. The students of UCD ensured that it was a perfectly pitched blend of bonkers sci-fi and musical theatre, with some very quirky touches and super performances across the board. 

This was my third visit to the Astra Hall for a UCD production this season. It’s fair to say that you're always guaranteed the warmest of welcomes at this unique venue and the students’ hospitality is matched only by their palpable love of musical theatre. Front of House is always so well organised and the buzz outside the hall is always electric as the predominantly student audience look forward to the show. This was no exception as we prepared ourselves for what was a memorable trip to Skid Row. 

Lia Mullan did a really good job on her directorial debut, with some brave and wonderfully quirky touches. The choice to cast Audrey Two as a female identifying, human character was quite the bold move but it was one that was hugely impactful. There was good work on character development and a great focus on the comedy in the script. Pace was really strong throughout and the show flowed really well. 

Sam Hoffheinz was at the helm as musical director and he was ably assisted by vocal director Ciara McKenna. With space at a premium in the Astra Hall, the band was tucked away, out of sight, to the right of the audience. Mr. Hoffheinz ensured that his very secure band was well on top of Alan Menken’s delicious score. I did feel, however, that there were some trumpet tuning issues in the upper registers, particularly at the very top of the Prologue. The choral singing in this show was excellent. From the very strong ‘Skid Row (Downtown)’ to the stunning choral sound in ‘The Meek Shall Inherit,’ it was evident that an enormous amount of work had gone into perfecting the ensemble balance and dynamics. The six Ronettes were exceptional and their vocal work was quite flawless. 

Sinéad Gormally’s choreography was excellent. It was sharp, precise and, above all else, fun. I’m a firm believer that it matters little if dancing is foot perfect and hand perfect if there is nothing going on above the shoulders. This company understood that better than most, with everyone performing and ‘living’ the narrative through the choreography. There was exceptional work done with the six plantettes who moved with staggering synchronicity in some very cleverly devised routines. 

The role of Seymour was played by Fionn McGrath and what a find he was to play the hapless, nebbish Skid Row flower shop employee, in a century not too long before our very own. Mr. McGrath had an endearing charm that made him an audience favourite. His journey from the utter timidity of the early stages of the show to making deeply conflicted moral judgments was quite the ride. He had superb range, equally strong with both comedic and darker elements of his character. He had a very versatile voice, whether engaging in belting confrontation with Audrey 2 in ‘Feed Me’ or sensitively comforting ‘Audrey 1’ in the beautifully delivered ‘Suddenly Seymour’ 

Audrey, played by Chloe Burke, was an interesting take on the character. Ms. Burke veered away from the ditzy, blonde stereotype so associated with Ellen Greene in the movie version, giving us a very real, heartfelt, and vulnerable character with genuine self-esteem issues. Her settling for an abusive but ‘successful’ guy like Orin, due to societal expectations, was quite heartbreaking. She had a wonderful voice. ‘Somewhere That’s Green’ was a beautiful rendition and Ms. Burke showed exceptional connection with the lyrics, emphasising her vulnerability. 

Eoin Ó Dúinín played the part of Mr. Mushnik, the owner of a failing flower shop on Skid Row. This was a challenging role to play for somebody as young as Mr. Ó Dúinín. He approached the role in a very spritely, excitable manner. He had a great voice which was showcased wonderfully in ‘Mushnik and Son’ but I did feel that there was a need for him to tone the character down sometimes, in order to make it more real. 

As a medical student, Colm Fagan was perfectly positioned to play the part of the sadistic dentist DR. Orin Scrivello DDS. This was a very strong portrayal, full of the menacing charisma that Orin should have. With one of the funniest songs in the show, ‘Dentist!,’ it is so important to get the balance just right between Orin’s sadistic, abusive tendencies and his darker, more humorous side. Mr. Fagan managed this very well. ‘Now. (It’s Just the Gas’) was a comic highlight of the show. There was such delightful irony in his self-inflicted demise thanks to his penchant for nitrous oxide. 

The choice to cast Sorcha McGlynn as Audrey 2 was a bold and brave one. However, it really worked. Ms. McGlynn was quite the siren, luring Seymour into her sinister world. She had an enchanting, ominous influence over Seymour. Her sinister allure drew him in, slowly but surely. Ms. McGlynn had the most soulful, hypnotic vocals. ‘Suppertime’ was quite mesmerising. She was a very strong actress and knew exactly how to manipulate our favourite botanist. It was an excellently studied characterisation with wonderful presence and movement.

Ms. McGlynn worked brilliantly with her six plantettes, who added so much to the overall impact of her characterisation. These ivy clad minions, played by Yvette McDonnell, Brianna Kelly, Jennifer Yorke, Alanna Kane, Imani Antoun, and Emily Shaw were individually and collectively brilliant. They were exceptionally well-choreographed and rehearsed as they embodied the very challenging role of a man-eating plant. Outstanding work from all involved.

Another superb sextet was the Greek chorus of Ronettes played by Aimee O’Neill, Lizzi MacEnri, Nicole Filan, Julie Bowell, Anna Ryan, and Amy Van Eekeren. These performers were outstanding in their precision, their diction, and their flawless harmonies. Their vocal work was as good as you would hear anywhere. The choice to go with six as opposed to the more conventional trio was a very good one. What was most impressive about this group was that, individually, each of these girls had powerhouse voices and were incredible soloists in their own right, however, when they sang together, the blend was insanely good. As a Greek chorus, they added so much to the show, their ominous, yet humorous commentary providing great flavour and nuance. Their still reactions when observing scenes were beautifully focused and concentrated and they were always acting but never distracting. This really was exceptional work dramatically, choreographically, and vocally from six very talented performers. 

There was great support too from Joseph Gibney a most inebriated Wino and from Irina Agotha as Skip Snip, who created an excellent character. Connor Kirwan, who played Mr. Bernstein, was excellent. There just needed to be more care with the pronunciation of his name. In what felt like a scene straight out of ‘Young Frankenstein’ (IYKYK) he was introduced by one of the Ronettes as “BernSTINE” but referred to himself as “BernSTEEN.”Mrs. Luce was played very well by Eva Furlong and Elijah Lopez was his typically strong self as a very funny interviewer from WSKID radio, rounding out a very strong cast. 

The ensemble was very well integrated into this production, providing very strong support throughout. Performance levels in choreographed routines were exceptional and their singing was most impressive. ‘The Meek Shall Inherit’ and ‘Don’t Feed the Plants’ were particularly strong, as was the wonderful ‘Suddenly Seymour.’ You couldn’t but help thinking that amongst this very talented ensemble there were many performers who could have played any of the principal roles. 

Stage manager Colm Nicholl and his crew did a really good job. There were quick transitions between scenes and the minimal changes were carried out with great efficiency. 

The set was simple but worked really well in allowing the show to flow smoothly. It was very nicely dressed with a myriad paraphernalia that one would expect to see in a flower shop. Mushnik’s counter, on casters, moved when required, allowing for flexibility and more downstage action. The opening for Audrey 2 and the plantettes’ entrances and exits was a nice touch with its green slash curtain. Things were kept very simple for Orin's surgery, with a simple screen and chair. The raised areas, downstage left and right, provided some nice staging opportunities for the director. 

The lighting plot was basic, but it worked. There was plenty of key light, ensuring that faces were always a priority. There was nice timing for cues like Seymour's entrance on “Poor!” in ‘Skid Row (Downtown),’ drawing our focus to him for that important ‘reveal’ as he appeared on stage right. There was good use of haze for atmosphere during key 

moments, both musically and dramatically. However, I felt that there were quite a few missed opportunities in more dramatic moments, particularly as the show built to its bloody climax. Audrey being fed to the plant is one is the one of the most dramatic musical climaxes of the show and I thought that there should have been more drama reflected in the lighting, with more use of colour, intensity, and effects. 

The sound was exceptionally good in this show. The highlight for me was the vocal mix and balance, especially amongst the six Ronettes. With all of the tight vocal harmony work in ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ getting the vocal balance right is a potential banana skin, but on this occasion it was amazing. There was great use of sound effects too, adding layers of realism to the production. 

Props were generally well handled. Dressing on the stage was particularly good. I did wonder about the miniature cash register, but there was something quirky about its size that kind of worked. There was a fine array of watering cans, pots, garden tools and of course various plants and flowers. Orin's gas apparatus looked great and the various stages of Audrey 2 looked very well, particularly the very imposing final plant. 

Hair and makeup was a little bit hit and miss. Audrey 2's makeup was stunning. Clearly a lot of work had gone into getting her look exactly right and the six plantettes were equally good. Orin's unusual choice of eye makeup set him apart, adding to his sinister, dark presence. Mushnik's hair was whitened but looked quite unnatural. An inexpensive wig might have worked better. 

There were some good attention to detail in the costume plot. Audrey's leopard print sling was a quirky touch. Audrey 2 and the plantettes looked amazing in their perfectly chosen green attire and the red sequin dresses revealed under the Ronettes white coats were really classy and in total contrast to their street costumes. Orin's leather jacket and dentist uniform looked great. The individuality of the Ronettes came across well in what was a really good costume plot overall. 

It is an achievement for any society to produce one show per season. UCD Musical Society has produced three great shows this season and it has been a pleasure to attend all three. They certainly went out with a bang producing ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’ My hope for everyone involved is that they continue to be involved when they leave college. The future is very bright for musical theatre in this country. Congratulations on a wonderful season. 

Pat McElwain 

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025

Photos taken by the UCD Media Team Emma Rogerson (and also Eoghan):