Little Shop of Horrors

Setting the scene

The rehearsal I went to was described to me as "doing random messy bits of the play" how could I resist! When I arrived they were practising the curtain call - obviously the most important element of any production. Choreographer Emma Sterry was running this part of the rehearsal and told the cast to treat it like a dance in its own right. Emma is a regular on the Progress stage herself , you may remember her as Celia in Calendar Girls. She trained in musical theatre, which included dance, so she is well qualified to teach dance steps to the Little Shop of Horrors cast. She spent many happy hours dancing in her kitchen to work out the moves and says the cast have been very quick to pick them up.

Director Geoff Dallimore has taken a hands on approach to the music  in the show. He will be playing the keyboards every night along with a small band of session musicians (they are session musicians because he couldn't find anyone who could do every night so apart from him the band will be different every night.)

Geoff at his keyboard. In the background you can see some tentacles!

The budget for Little Shop of Horrors will include an unusual expense. The band will be playing in the workshop space back stage that at the best of times is full of tools and old bits of scenery. At the moment is it even more crowded because our props store at Calcot suffered a flood so all the props from the last show are still stored in the theatre workshop. Geoff's solution is to hire a container and chuck everything in there until the end of the show.

Tickets for Little Shop of Horrors are selling fast - both S\aturdays are sold out - so book your tickets soon if you want to see this show.

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Little Shop of Horrors, music by Alan Menken, libretto by Howard Ashman,Thursday 18th to Saturday 27th April 2013, 7.45 Progress Theatre

Colder Than Here by Laura Wade 20th - 25th May 2013, 7.45 Progress Theatre

Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward Monday 17th June - Saturday 22nd June 2013, 7.45 Progress Theatre