A strange plant appears in the corner of a struggling flower shop. At first, Audrey II is little more than an oddity: unusual, intriguing, but hardly something anyone expects to change the world. Yet as Little Shop of Horrors unfolds, that tiny curiosity grows into something impossible to ignore, gathering attention, influence and power far beyond its humble beginnings. In many ways, the musical’s own history follows a strikingly similar transformation.
Before it became one of the world’s most frequently performed musicals, Little Shop of Horrors was a low-budget 1960 horror comedy directed by Roger Corman. Its premise was undeniably strange, centring on an exotic plant that develops an insatiable taste for human blood. Few would have predicted that this bizarre B-movie would put down roots in popular culture, let alone blossom into one of musical theatre’s most enduring success stories.
However, like Audrey II itself, the story refused to stop growing.
When lyricist and writer Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken adapted the film into a stage musical in 1982, they uncovered something hidden beneath its eccentric exterior. What might have remained a cult curiosity suddenly revealed humour, heart and a surprisingly sharp understanding of human nature. The result was a work that could not be neatly categorised: a dark comedy, romance and satire all at once, wrapped in an irresistible Motown and doo-wop inspired score.
This refusal to fit neatly into a single genre is part of what makes the show so beloved. Whether someone is a devoted musical theatre fan or a complete newcomer, Little Shop of Horrors offers an accessible entry point. The premise is absurd enough to be entertaining from the outset, yet the emotional core of the story feels deeply familiar. Most people have never encountered a carnivorous alien plant, but many have experienced ambition, insecurity and the desire for a better life.
On the surface, Little Shop of Horrors is delightfully ridiculous. It contains larger-than-life characters, outrageous comedy and a puppet plant that steals almost every scene it appears in. Seymour’s story is ultimately one about compromise. Presented with the opportunity to achieve success, recognition and social mobility, he sacrifices more and more of himself to maintain it. What begins as a quirky comedy gradually transforms into a cautionary tale about ambition unchecked by conscience.
That message remains remarkably timeless. Every generation encounters its own version of Audrey II. The temptation may not arrive in the form of a singing plant, but the desire for success, status, wealth or validation remains one many people recognise. Seymour’s tragedy is not simply that he encounters evil; it is that he convinces himself each compromise is justified by the promise of something better waiting on the other side.
The brilliance of Ashman and Menken’s writing is that these ideas never overwhelm the entertainment. Rather, they are woven into some of musical theatre’s most memorable songs. Audrey’s longing for a life beyond Skid Row shines through Somewhere That’s Green, Seymour’s yearning and uncertainty is established in Skid Row (Downtown), and Orin’s brazen arrogance makes him both ridiculous and unforgettable in Dentist! The songs do more than entertain; they deepen our understanding of the characters themselves.
For me, that is where the musical truly flourishes. Little Shop of Horrors has long been a personal favourite of mine, and seeing it performed live is always a special experience. While I sometimes wish the stage version shared the film adaptation’s more hopeful ending, its blend of sharp lyricism, dark comedy and memorable music is difficult to resist. Watching Audrey II grow through increasingly sophisticated puppetry is also a reminder of the ingenuity and magic that live theatre can achieve.
There is also a certain irony in the fact that a musical warning against unchecked growth has itself grown so spectacularly. Audrey II becomes monstrous because it is fed by greed and self-interest. Little Shop of Horrors, by contrast, has flourished because it has been sustained by affection. For more than four decades, audiences, actors, directors and musicians have continued to nurture it, ensuring that each generation discovers it anew.
This is why Exeter Northcott Theatre’s upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors feels particularly exciting. More than sixty years after a low-budget film first introduced audiences to Audrey II, the musical continues to demonstrate that extraordinary works of art can emerge from the most unexpected places.
As Exeter prepares to stage this playfully perilous production, audiences will not simply be watching a musical revival. Instead, they will be witnessing the latest chapter in a theatrical phenomenon that nobody could have predicted.