About
Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's man-eating plant musical plays a tiny Hell's Kitchen house where Audrey II fills most of the stage.
This revival has run for years on a simple bet: put a doo-wop score, a Skid Row flower shop and a carnivorous puppet into a house of a few hundred seats and let the audience sit close enough to see the plant breathe. The Seymour and Audrey roles have rotated through a long line of film and television names, so the casting is worth checking before you book. If you find big Broadway houses alienating, this is the antidote a ten-minute walk away.
What to expect
An intimate off-Broadway staging with a small band, a Greek-chorus trio of doo-wop girls, and four increasingly enormous Audrey II puppets operated in view. Expect black comedy, a dentist played for maximum sadism, and the original stage ending rather than the film's.
Good to know
- The Westside Theatre is on West 43rd Street west of Ninth Avenue, a walk from the A, C and E at 42nd Street.
- It is a small house with a low stage, so even rear seats are close.
- Leading roles rotate frequently, so check the announced cast before booking.
- The humour is dark and includes domestic violence and gore played comically; better for teenagers up.
- Ninth Avenue's restaurant row is right there for a pre-show meal.
Common questions
Does it have the same ending as the film?
No. The stage version keeps the original darker ending that the 1986 film reshot, which is one of the main reasons long-time fans of the movie go.
Who plays Seymour?
The role rotates. The production has cast a long series of film and television names as Seymour and Audrey during its run, so it is worth checking the current company before you book.
Is Audrey II a puppet?
Yes, a series of them, growing across four stages and operated in view of the audience, with the voice performed live.