The principal cast members of Avonbourne Trust’s production of a Little Shop of Horrors. From left to right front row: Brandon Rabie who played Seymour Krelborn, Georgie Sweet who provided the voice for the plant Audrey II and Flynn Criswick who played Audrey. From left to right back row: Reuben Tyler-Wilkinson who played dentist Orin Scivello, Fred Primmer as shop owner Mr Mushnik, and the singing narrators Meisje Weldon, Nicole McNally and Mia Macdonald.
It’s been six months in the making and when it finally took to the stage a multi-school production of a Little Shop of Horrors delighted audiences from across Bournemouth.
The 60-strong cast and crew were made up entirely of students from Avonbourne and Harewood colleges and Avonbourne Sixth Form who have been planning and rehearsing for this mammoth production since April.
They took on this famous comedy musical – which tells the tale of a human-eating (and singing) plant – as part of Avonbourne Trust’s bi-annual school production.
Their first performance was in front of Year 5 and 6 children from local primary schools, including St James, King’s Park and Bethany Junior.
And when they won over those youngsters they performed for four nights for parents, family, friends and the general public.
Executive headteacher of Avonbourne Trust, Debbie Godfrey-Phaure, said: “So much hard work and dedication has gone into this utterly brilliant production.
“It has been entirely led by the students themselves, who not only made-up the cast but also the background production crew – from making scenery to staging and lighting.
“The whole thing has been a labour of love for all involved and not only have the students learned many new things they have also uncovered a great wealth of talent in our schools.”
A Little Shop of Horrors tells the story of hapless, lovelorn florist Seymour Krelborn (played by Brandon Rabie) who transforms the fortunes of the shop he works for by discovering a strange, talking plant with a taste for human blood.
He names the plant after his colleague and love-interest Audrey (a starring role for Flynn Criswick) and manages to win over her heart thanks to the new-found popularity the plant brings.
But the plant, Audrey II (voiced by Georgie Sweet), is not so good news for Audrey I’s cruel boyfriend, dastardly dentist Orin Scivello (played by Reuben Tyler-Wilkinson), and the shop’s owner Mr Mushnik (played by Fred Primmer) who both meet a grizzly end.
Relaying the horrors, and the laughs, of the story is a trio of 1960s street urchins, Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon (producing powerful vocals from Nicole McNally, Meisje Weldon, Mia Macdonald).
