A truly sadistic dentist elevates Greater Boston Stage's ‘Little Shop of Horrors'
The over-the-top campiness of 'Little Shop' obscures the fact that this depiction of botanical Armageddon is a pretty dark story. Our recent experience with a global pandemic has given certain sci-fi tales an unsettling currency. They no longer seem quite so 'fi,' do they? 'The Last of Us,' indeed.
Roger Corman's 1960 film became a cult classic, for all its clunkiness.
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Then 'Little Shop' was adapted into a musical by the powerhouse team of Howard Ashman (lyrics and book) and Alan Menken (music) that premiered in 1982. A film version was released in 1986, with
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Stephen Markarian plays Seymour, a nebbishy employee at a flower shop owned by the mean-spirited Mr. Mushnik (Bryan Miner). Seymour is hopelessly in love with fellow employee Audrey (Kayla Shimizu), but she's dating — and being abused by — a sadistic dentist named Orin, portrayed by Troilo. (Troilo also plays several other characters, and manages to make each of them distinctive, even the ones whose stage time can be measured in seconds.)
When Seymour buys an ordinary-looking plant and brings it back to the shop, he names it Audrey 2 (built by Cameron McEachern, voiced with commanding authority by Anthony Pires Jr., and manipulated by Sydney T. Grant).
Audrey 2 —green, mean, and amphibian-looking — proves to have an insatiable appetite for human blood. Thus are set in motion events that will ultimately tell Seymour something about himself and what he is capable of, none of it all that reassuring.
Shimizu captures Audrey's lost-soul quality, and delivers a lovely rendition of the yearning 'Somewhere That's Green.' She and Markarian team up to poignant effect in 'Suddenly Seymour,' one of the great duets. Music director Bethany Aiken and her five-piece band, performing backstage, do solid work.
The Doo-Wop girls who serve up narration and commentary in roughly equal measure throughout the show — Cortlandt Barrett as Chiffon, Pearl Scott as Ronnette, and Aimee Coleman as Crystal — are a delight.
There was a touching scene during the curtain call at Wednesday's matinee. Coleman, an understudy to Becky Bass, was stepping into the role for the first time. She had a lot of friends and family in the audience, and she was given flowers, a thunderous ovation, and a memory to last a lifetime.
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LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
Book and lyrics by Howard Ashman. Music by Alan Menken. Directed by Ilana Ransom Toeplitz. Music direction, Bethany Aiken. Choreography, Chris Shin. Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company, Stoneham. Through June 29. Tickets $64 - $69. At 781-279-2200 or
Don Aucoin can be reached at
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Boston Globe
a day ago
- Boston Globe
A truly sadistic dentist elevates Greater Boston Stage's ‘Little Shop of Horrors'
The over-the-top campiness of 'Little Shop' obscures the fact that this depiction of botanical Armageddon is a pretty dark story. Our recent experience with a global pandemic has given certain sci-fi tales an unsettling currency. They no longer seem quite so 'fi,' do they? 'The Last of Us,' indeed. Roger Corman's 1960 film became a cult classic, for all its clunkiness. Advertisement Then 'Little Shop' was adapted into a musical by the powerhouse team of Howard Ashman (lyrics and book) and Alan Menken (music) that premiered in 1982. A film version was released in 1986, with Advertisement Stephen Markarian plays Seymour, a nebbishy employee at a flower shop owned by the mean-spirited Mr. Mushnik (Bryan Miner). Seymour is hopelessly in love with fellow employee Audrey (Kayla Shimizu), but she's dating — and being abused by — a sadistic dentist named Orin, portrayed by Troilo. (Troilo also plays several other characters, and manages to make each of them distinctive, even the ones whose stage time can be measured in seconds.) When Seymour buys an ordinary-looking plant and brings it back to the shop, he names it Audrey 2 (built by Cameron McEachern, voiced with commanding authority by Anthony Pires Jr., and manipulated by Sydney T. Grant). Audrey 2 —green, mean, and amphibian-looking — proves to have an insatiable appetite for human blood. Thus are set in motion events that will ultimately tell Seymour something about himself and what he is capable of, none of it all that reassuring. Shimizu captures Audrey's lost-soul quality, and delivers a lovely rendition of the yearning 'Somewhere That's Green.' She and Markarian team up to poignant effect in 'Suddenly Seymour,' one of the great duets. Music director Bethany Aiken and her five-piece band, performing backstage, do solid work. The Doo-Wop girls who serve up narration and commentary in roughly equal measure throughout the show — Cortlandt Barrett as Chiffon, Pearl Scott as Ronnette, and Aimee Coleman as Crystal — are a delight. There was a touching scene during the curtain call at Wednesday's matinee. Coleman, an understudy to Becky Bass, was stepping into the role for the first time. She had a lot of friends and family in the audience, and she was given flowers, a thunderous ovation, and a memory to last a lifetime. Advertisement LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Book and lyrics by Howard Ashman. Music by Alan Menken. Directed by Ilana Ransom Toeplitz. Music direction, Bethany Aiken. Choreography, Chris Shin. Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company, Stoneham. Through June 29. Tickets $64 - $69. At 781-279-2200 or Don Aucoin can be reached at
Buzz Feed
a day ago
- Buzz Feed
'The Bear' Character Recap Before Season 4
The Bear Season 4 is almost here! I have to say, I really enjoy the *three* shows that actually film and debut a new season every year, instead of making us wait multiple years for like seven episodes (yes, I'm looking at you The Last of Us). The Bear will continue to follow Carmy and crew as they find success or failure after the opening of their new restaurant. It's been a year since we last witnessed these characters on screen, so here's a little recap of where we saw them last. Carmy Ah, good 'ol Carmy. What a whirlwind Season 3 was for him. Our leading man was last seen reading the highly anticipated review of his new restaurant, The Bear. The financier for the upscale restaurant, Uncle Jimmy, warned Carmy that if the review was bad, he'd have to pull funding. We briefly see Carmy reading the review before loudly cursing... which could be interpreted as anything. My guess? The review was good, but it will further strain Carmy's friendship with of his work life, Carmy still hasn't patched things up with Claire, his love interest, whom he accidentally spilled his guts to while being locked in a freezer in Season 2. His relationship with Sydney is also flailing, as he's becoming the same source of anger and anxiety for her that his old boss (David Fields) was for him. Sydney I love you Syd. The last time we saw my favorite character on the series, she was experiencing a panic attack. Syd was offered the career of her dreams by Chef Adam, but she would have to leave The Bear to accept this offer. The position would make Syd the true creative food director she yearns to be, as she feels overshadowed and overlooked by Carmy at The Bear. She was silently weighing her options, and how to tell Carmy about the offer, which led her to finally breaking down outside of a house party she was hosting at her new apartment. Richie Richie, Richie, Richie. Carmy's arch-fremisis (yes, I made that word up) was last seen at Syd's party, after attending the closing bash for Ever, the classy restaurant that Carmy sent him to work at for experience in Season 2. Richie was also having a hard time accepting the invitation to his ex's upcoming wedding, and balancing his emotions about seeing Chef Terry (Ever's top chef) hang up her apron. Tina What would this show be without Tina?! She had a beautiful flashback episode in Season 3 that showed viewers how she ended up working at The Original Beef (The Bear's precursor). However, the last time we saw Tina, she was attending Syd's house party and having a fun time with the guests. Natalie I depended on Natalie deeply for bringing a more calm and grounded essence to the series, and then they went and gave her one of the most chaotic episodes of Season 3 (which was also my favorite!). Nat was last seen giving birth to a beautiful baby, and then sending her mother Donna (who was with her in the delivery room while her husband Pete was rushing back from a trip) a picture of the infant. Hopefully, that means Nat's tumultuous relationship with her mother is on the mend. Marcus Can we start a petition for more Marcus episodes, please? After Carmy teaches Marcus about 'sleight of hand,' the attentive baker attempts to work magic into this cooking routine (which I thought was really cool). Arguably the heart of The Bear's crew, Marcus was last seen getting down at Syd's party. He lost his mother in Season 3 and also clears the air on his ill-fated attempt to date Syd, and it appears their bond has gotten even stronger. Claire Claire Bear, you better not forgive Carmy until he comes correct with an apology. After Carmy destroys their relationship with an accidental freezer room confession in Season 2, Claire kind of fades to the background in Season 3. However, we last saw her working at the hospital and being visited by Neil and Theo Fak, who try to convince her to get back with Carmy. Give it a rest guys! Neil and Theo Fak The Faks: The comedic relief. These two gentlemen were last seen at Syd's party as well, singing, dancing, and having a blast. Probably a good stress reliever after bombarding Claire at her job and trying to convince her to get back with Carmy. These guys, smh. Uncle Jimmy Uncle Jimmy, aka Mr. Money Bags, was last seen struggling with the realization that he couldn't afford to keep financing The Bear and having that very difficult conversation with Carmy. His continued financial support all hinges on a very important review of The Bear. Ebraheim The last time we saw Ebraheim, he was holding down the daytime half of The Bear, which is still The Original Beef sandwich shop. And doing a damn fine job too, if I might add. Pete It's hard not to love Pete. The affable husband of Natalie was last seen trying to figure out which meals to cook that wouldn't wake up the baby, after Syd dropped by with some grub for the fam. Sweeps A minor character who still shines with his minimal screen time, we last saw Sweeps explaining why he gave up his baseball career. After a short stint trying performance-enhancing drugs, which he felt didn't even help, he was caught and banned from playing. However, he once again found purpose and meaning in his work at The Bear. Donna Momma Berzatto, the bringer of chaos. The last time we saw Momma Donna, she was in the delivery room with Natalie coaching her through contractions. Honestly, this was my favorite episode of Season 3, and the full-circle moment of parenthood hit me right in the dad feels. Tiffany Richie's ex and the mother of his daughter was last seen trying to convince Richie to attend her wedding. Pretty excited for the wedding episode that is teased in the trailer for Season 4. Chef Terry Does Olivia Colman ever NOT deliver? Chef Terry was last seen at Syd's house party, after the Ever closer, taking shots and making some type of delicious-looking waffle dessert concoction. Chef Adam Chef Adam was last seen reminding Syd that his offer to make her the boss of his new restaurant had a time limit. Tick tick, Syd. Chef Luca Chef Luca was last seen at, you guessed it, Syd's after-party. He also attended the Ever closing bash and absolutely embarrassed himself by asking some very strange questions to other veteran chefs in the building. Chef Jessica Chef Jessica, who is Richie's low-key love interest, also attended Syd's party (the more I write about Syd's party, the more I wish it was a real thing I could attend). She is now out of a job, since Ever closed, and I expect we may see more of her around The Bear. StreamThe Bear on Hulu. What do you hope happens in Season 4? Let us know in the comments below!
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
How the sequel '28 Years Later' shows a 'compassionate' side of horror
How the sequel '28 Years Later' shows a 'compassionate' side of horror Show Caption Hide Caption '28 Years Later' trailer: The horror is infectious in movie sequel Survivors try to maintain a semblance of life among those infected by a rage virus in Danny Boyle's horror sequel "28 Years Later." In 2002, the British horror hit '28 Days Later' helped repopularize the zombie subgenre, leading to post-apocalyptic entertainment like 'The Walking Dead' and 'The Last of Us.' Ever since, director Danny Boyle has been saying to anyone who'll listen that the people infected with a rage virus aren't zombies. They're just like us but sick, not undead. And in the new sequel '28 Years Later' (in theaters June 20), the infected have changed a lot, even showing qualities that hint they're much more than mindless, flesh-eating machines. 'Obviously, 28 years is quite a compressed amount of time for evolution to really establish itself. But they are evolving just like humans evolve,' Boyle says. Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox With '28 Years Later,' Boyle and original writer Alex Garland have returned to this post-apocalyptic world with something akin to the recent 'Halloween' revamp. The new film is a direct follow-up to '28 Days,' pretty much ignoring the events of 2007's '28 Weeks Later,' and begins a planned trilogy that will continue with director Nia DaCosta's '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' (in theaters Jan. 16). Garland sees 'Days' and 'Years' as coming-of-age stories of a sort with 'a young person in a state of innocence who's then having that innocence robbed,' the writer says. In the original film, it's bicycle courier Jim (Cillian Murphy), who wakes up in a hospital after an accident finding a London devoid of people. He learns the hard way how much the world has changed since the rage virus started, with the infected running and biting at him, and Jim in a sense 'becomes an infected' by giving in to his own rage to save people important to him. '28 Years Later' fast-forwards nearly 30 years, with the rage virus contained to the borders of the United Kingdom. Twelve-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) lives with his parents, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Isla (Jodie Comer), in a small, heavily defended community on Holy Island. In an old-fashioned society where everyone has a job to do, children are taught what life used to be like and 'the infected play a role in their mind. They're being told that they will one day meet them,' Boyle says. "So they mythologize them a little bit.' Jamie takes Spike on a rite of passage to the mainland for the first time to kill an infected. Father and son barely make it back alive, but when Spike learns of a mysterious doctor who could help his sick mom with her undiagnosed ailment, he returns to a dangerous landscape on a journey more about protecting life than taking it. 'He chooses not to follow in his father's footsteps,' Boyle says of Spike. "That's one of the things that always gives us hope with teenagers. Even though they might drive you mad, they want their own challenges." Spike ultimately meets the man he's searching for, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). He's built a Bone Temple of skulls as a memorial to victims of the infected, and Kelson sees survivors and infected people as alike. 'A key thing about how we approached the zombie genre was we didn't make them supernatural. They're not reanimated dead people. If you were a doctor, that would be the correct way to look at it," Garland says. One of themes of the movie is "how much should a sick person be differentiated from a healthy person? And why is that differentiation fair?' Over three decades, the infected of '28 Days Later' – the fast-running "zombies" that freaked moviegoers out in 2002 – have evolved and organized. Most of them are still scary quick, skinny and now naked. Bigger, stronger Alphas have emerged like the leader Samson, while 'Slow-Lows' are fat, bloated and 'closer to the ground,' Boyle says. 'They expend a lot less energy but they're nevertheless very dangerous if they're provoked or disturbed or stimulated.' And like the original film, the '28 Years Later' trilogy explores humanity in inhuman times among its pockets of survivors. Whereas Christopher Eccleston's Major Henry West in the original film "28 Days" is a soldier "who has gone crazy and collapsed into a more violent, degenerative state than the infected have,' Garland explains, Kelson is the inverse to him and creates "a different kind of commentary on people, which has something to do with being reasonable and compassionate in the face of an incredibly difficult situation."
