My review of Little Shop- Page 2

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 9/1/03 at 2:53pm

I wonder if those of us who were unable to see the original production will enjoy the show better because we will be unable to compare to the Ellen Greene (although I did see her in the movie). I was also wondering if the include "Mean Green Mother" in the show.
Speaking of stunt casting....I had the pleasure of seeing Cyndi Lauper in concert this weekend and I thought she has the perfect voice for the role. And if you have seen her live you would know that she can belt with the best of them. Of course the only problem is that she is 50 years old. Probably a little too old for the part...but she looks younger. Anyway..that's who I would consider if I was going for stunt casting.

Posted: 9/1/03 at 2:54pm

I want a copy of Alice doing Suddenly Seymour. Where is everyone getting these songs? I am so jealous.

[BroadwayGypsy]

Posted: 9/1/03 at 7:24pm

I know! I want it too!

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 9/1/03 at 7:28pm

WOW! Al Dente agrees with me! That made my holiday!

[Amneris]

Posted: 9/1/03 at 8:44pm

i want to hear alice soooooo bad!!!! to me,she just is audrey

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 9/1/03 at 8:55pm

For those of you who want to hear Alice: PM me, I'll give you a link. Updated On: 9/1/03 at 08:55 PM

[sheekala]

Posted: 9/1/03 at 9:34pm

Al, I agree 100% with your views regarding LSOH, it has "no bite"...having seen the show in Coral Gables and then viewing a far more entertaining production that ran in Atlantic City of all places a week after seeing the CG mounting Ihave to say the current Broadway version fall flat. And don't start saying 'give it time", c'mon it's had so MUCH time that I think that might of been it's problem...Hunter did nothing for me in Florida and even less now, Kerry was "ok"..your Audrey should never be "ok", and while I won't give away the 'ending' effect it was hollow in my view...and much like the classic debates of time past for tha tother "horror" musical.haha, Dance of the Vampires, this show should provide much in thw way of discussion...I did love the Ronettes and the the mikes have to be balanced fast.....

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/2/03 at 10:58am

Sheekala, I've been wondering where you were! I don't know if it's the mic balance being off or that the musical director is out of his mind. The high soprano part is SO much louder than anything else in the trio, that you can barely hear the MUCH needed melody!

I agree with everything else you said as well. No one in the lead of a musical should EVER be just "okay". Bway11, of course I agreed with you. Right is right.

[tthomas76]

Posted: 9/2/03 at 11:31am

My wife and I saw Little Shop on Saturday night. Weloved it. I really thought it was great. Sorry to spoil some peoples feelings on it, but i felt it was cast good. We do have to remember they've only been doing this a little over a month. As far as Kerry acting a Penny I can't say anything about that due to the fact I have not seen Hairspray. We tired and were not successful this past June. I think the more they run it the better it will get. Just my opion.

[Duane Reade]

Posted: 9/2/03 at 12:05pm

Just your opion, as you said...

[sheekala]

Posted: 9/2/03 at 12:41pm

I missed you too Al!...after seeing the show in it's Florida tryout I knew they wouldn't bring that version to Broadway as it was lacking in ALL area's..really a bad show(save for Alice Ripley, a wonderful Audrey on all levels). So, when I heard that they were delaying it and bringing on Jerry Zaks I thought, GREAT!, he'll bring a fresh vision to it...weeelllll, and re-cast it perfectly..I was wrong..Hunter Foster is a sweet kid, and I enjoyed him in Urinetown, loved him in Grease a number of years back, but he ain't no Seymour, he's all wrong for it, and it throws the show off balance..his Seymour while well sung is like watching the highschool quarterback play the role,HE'S ACTING LIKE A NERD...and u don't have to be Jerry Zaks to know that's bad...there is a problem with this show and I've seen it in many forms and that some people(most actors) play Audrey and Seymour too broadly and cartoonish...sorry but that's what I thought of the current Broadway outing.I know I've mentioned it before but the production that ran in the Tropicana Showroom was so much fun, and had heart and soul and a priceless Bill Weeden(from the final cast of The Fantasticks as Musnick and two amazing "unknowns" in the leads). Kerry was herself as Audrey,isn't she always?!...which again left me wanting, yes the audience had fun, but I must protest regarding some posters saying they were going crazy..walk across the street and see how the crowd reacts to Hairspray, that's going "crazy" folks...but I don't wish it ill.. I hope it goes well. But I can't help but think what this show COULD of been, why couldn't they have really worked on it, I thought the delay would fix the problems, some of them are still there...so hopefully they'll be "somewhere that's green"....but the show just didn't "git it" for me....

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/2/03 at 5:17pm

Right on Sheekala, that was something I meant to address earlier. I was there on a Saturday Night, and I wouldn't exactly say the crowds were going "nuts" either. I'd like to think I know the difference too. I saw the Producers when it first opened. Now *that* was mass hysteria, not what I experienced at LS.

Posted: 9/2/03 at 5:23pm

Al, where did you sit on Saturday night? Just curious?

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/2/03 at 5:27pm

I'll never tell voice! I was sitting next to Xtina, Madonna and little baby Rocco. :)

Posted: 9/2/03 at 5:30pm

I have a feeling you were...in more ways than one...

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/2/03 at 5:38pm

Ooo, such a mysterious post. I was within the first 10 rows on the aisle, house right. Why are you so curious? If tha's really your picture voice, I would have recognized you.

Posted: 9/2/03 at 5:42pm

I was in First row side with my adorable latino ex.....

...in fact during the second number, we were right under the bum with the bass voice...we HAD to have been lit by the spot light.......

....no way to have missed this tan bald head...

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 5:41pm

I just got back from NYC. The main purpose of the trip was to see LSOH. As you might imagine from the user name and icon to the left, this has been my most anticipated show in a long time. Now that I've seen the Broadway production, I am devastated.

A few months ago, I ventured to Miami to see the tryout. At intermission, my friends and I literally ran to the box office to get tickets for the next show, so we could see it again. It was terrific. Hunter and Alice were great. Reg Rogers was hysterical as the dentist. Our only complaint was Billy Porter's voice being wrong for Audrey II. After the second show, we met up with Hunter, and it happened to be the night they found out that production had been cancelled. So, emotions were running high, and no one else from the cast was interested in meeting with fans.

Anyhow, the news stories said the producers were not pleased and wanted to fire the creative team and recast to improve the show. Now, three months later, I got to see this new "improved" version. Does anyone know these producers personally? I'd like to ask them exactly what improvements did they make. It seemed very much like the Florida tryout, but with everything interesting or exciting extracted. I've never been so disappointed in a show.

We didn't laugh once during the Broadway production. It was like the life and humor have been sucked completely out of the show. I love Kerry (in Bat Boy and Hairspray), but she was just wrong for Audrey. Gone are the humor, the accent, and the emotion the character had with Ellen and Alice. Even Hunter seemed more constrained.

Doug Sills was not funny, and didn't even seem to be trying. (Not to mention that he forgot his lyrics during "Now - It's the Gas"). Really, none of the actors seemed to be having a good time at all. The "street urchins" in Florida looked and acted like real teenage residents of Skid Row. Now, they look like the Dynamites.

The show just seemed to plod along. The dialogue is rushed and the songs lay flat. It's like the cast is thinking about where to go after the show or what show they should audition for next. And I felt sorry for them at the end, when the four leads were forced to wear silly plant costumes and pretend to be part of the plant. (Their arms were unintentionally sticking out too, but no one seemed to care.) And more than once, we caught a glimpse of the humans inside the plant. Sloppy.

Yes, the plant hovering over the audience for a few seconds at the end was interesting. But, it didn't make up for the rest.

If you've never seen the show before, you might enjoy the fantastic score and clever lyrics of Menken/Ashman and not realized what could have been. But, if you're fortunate enough to have seen it originally Off-Broadway or pre-Broadway in Florida.

While watching the show in Florida, I had visions of raves from New York critics and audiences, and a Tony for Alice. Now, I'm just depressed...that this opportunity was missed. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the audiences and critics will fawn over this mess. But, judging from the tepid, seated applause at the end of the show, it doesn't look good.

Seriously, if anyone saw the Florida tryout or has any inside information, I'm more than curious to know how this show was "improved".


(On a side note, my NY trip was not entirely a bust. I did get to see Avenue Q, Big River, and a final Cabaret, as well as Broadway on Broadway. Enjoyed them all more than Little Shop.)

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 6:01pm

I guess I am far from being the only one who felt this way. It's such a complete disappointment all around and everyone is saying the exact same thing, almost verbatim. I think Hunter is a victim of having a poor co-star. She's bringing his performance down. I've heard from everyone I know, who saw the show in Florida, that he was much better playing opposite Alice.

I am also wondering why they would get rid of Reg Rogers, and hire Doug Sills. Reg is a funny, gifted actor who also happens to be a bit of a movie star, which would have attracted more ticket buyers. NONE of the moves on the producer's part, were "improvements". Not by a long shot.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 6:11pm

This is a real disappointment to hear, I'm seeing the show on Saturday and I could only hope all of you are awfully wrong, but that doesn't seem like it will be the case. I was really looking forward to this show. Maybe we'll have a miracle between now and October 2nd...

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 6:15pm

The only "miracle" that could occur would be to (once again), fire half the cast, the choreographer and the musical director. Or, at the very least, bring Ripley and Rogers back. Updated On: 9/8/03 at 06:15 PM

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 6:18pm

I have yet to see the show, but I am really hoping that it runs for a while. Hunter and Kerry have some real talent and I would love to have them become stars.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 6:23pm

I honestly doubt that *this* is going to be the star making vehicle for either of them.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 6:49pm

Also, I think Kerry seems a little young to be playing Audrey. This character should show some signs of wear. She's been through a lot. Kerry is young, attractive, and sings beautifully, but is just not right for this part.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 6:55pm

I fully agree Menkenfan. I also must say that Alice is just as "young", more attractive and from what I hear, sang Audrey FAR more beautifully. Really a bad call on the part of the producers.