UT’s theater department pays homage to the classic ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

God bless Roger Corman. His low-budget B-movies defined an era of cinema. After the Golden Age of film in the 30s and 40s, Hollywood went into hibernation. While European films began to blossom, the US had simply lost its influence on the silver screen.
American films in the 1950s and early 60s had lost the zany creativity of the Classic Age. The craziest, funniest, most imaginative films of this period in American film weren’t a part of the A-list Hollywood studio pictures. Perhaps television was ruining the big screen, or perhaps the studio system was losing its momentum. Either way, if one wishes to find originality in the cinema from the middle of the twentieth century, look no further than the low budget films of Roger Corman.
It has been said that “The Little Shop of Horrors” (1960), a Roger Corman production, was filmed in only two days. The film is a strange, dark, self-aware horror-comedy. It is celebrated today for its campy dialogue and corny acting. Jack Nicholson makes a brief appearance in this movie in one of his earliest roles. This cult classic was brought back to life in 1982 as a Broadway musical — a perfect fit for the hokey humor of the original. The musical was then turned into a big budget musical film (starring Rick Moranis and directed by Frank Oz) and has obtained a huge cult following over the years.
With so many versions of the story leading to different interpretations of the original, it is important to continue the celebration of this cheesy tale by talking about the preceding interpretations. When the University of Toledo’s Department of Theatre and Film decided to produce a version of “Little Shop,” director Edmund Lingan chose to pay homage the horror influences of the film. As mentioned in his director’s statement, Corman’s darkly humorous voice is mixed into Lingan’s “theatrical cauldron” for the play.
“Little Shop” is a spectacle, filled with rotating sets, dozens of costume changes and an ever-growing man-eating plant puppet. The small space of UT’s Center Theatre works very well for this type of show. The modestly sized stage is designed such that it stuck right in the middle of the audience, resulting in a transportation of each spectator directly onto Skid Row. It ends up being an intimate space that brings the spectator very close to the spectacle. Production Designer Daniel Thobias has once again crafted a smart set which transforms the theater space into a very interactive set and one that seems to always be in motion.
A solid cast of enthusiastic actors kept me well-entertained and reminded me of Corman’s original film. But while the actors were so accurate, the orchestra seemed to disappear into the voices of the actors. The musicians were playing off stage with microphones. Without their acoustic notes naturally filling the Center Theatre, the artificial condensed sound of the orchestra failed to create any excitement from the musical numbers. This was important since one should feel the presence of instruments in a musical. Without them, I became disinterested in the songs: a major problem for this medium.
“Little Shop of Horrors” is a dysfunctional play, and with this in mind Edmund Lingan very aptly directed his team. The cynicism of the 1960s shows through the direction and the corny attitude of the actors was matched by the huge man-eating plant, Audrey II. The carnivorous herb was an effective presence throughout the show, even while he just simply sat still in the background like any other prop. Through all the hokey comedy in the foreground, the static Audrey II is the true horror in the “Little Shop,” and the play acknowledged that idea.
Lingan has given UT an exciting finale to the Film and Theatre season. UT’s production of this classic plant story holds it roots respectfully in the Corman tradition.

Evan Sennett is a first-year majoring in film studies, and he is also an IC cartoonist.