Excellence in Performance: Giggleswick School’s Little Shop of Horrors

Giggleswick School’s senior pupils lit up the Richard Whiteley Theatre with their vibrant, funny and delightfully off-beat production of Little Shop of Horrors. With two alternating casts, a professional band, and an ensemble bursting with energy, the show delivered an unforgettable experience for audiences throughout its run. Both reviewers, Catherine Packard and Heidi Wood, praised the production’s talent, creativity and joy, resulting in a standout event in the school’s performing arts calendar.

Catherine described the show as “an absolute joy to watch – full of energy from start to finish and with a professional set adding to the visual spectacle.” The anticipation began even before the opening number, as “the amazing band, led on piano by the immensely talented musical director Darren Everhart, treated us to a selection of blues music which heightened the anticipation.” Heidi echoed this enthusiasm, calling the musical “funny, off-beat and engaging.”

Under the direction of Katie Lacey, making her “debut as director and head of drama at Giggleswick, and hopefully the first of many!”, the production showcased two superb casts of principals. Across both reviews, performances from Seymour, Audrey, Orin and Mushnik were repeatedly praised. Highlights included what Catherine called “the perfect Seymour – his every movement was in character, his comic timing was brilliant,” and Heidi’s praise for the alternate cast: “Overall, Leopold’s performance was memorable due to his natural confidence on the stage and Grace delivered a heart-warming, moving song that she sung beautifully.”

The iconic Ronettes were also celebrated in both reviews. Catherine noted “excellent vocals, clear harmonies and energetic dance moves,” while Heidi added, “I really thought the Ronettes delivered a really engaging telling of the story… the harmonies were really delightful and were carried out in an assured way.”

One of the biggest audience favourites was Orin, the infamous dentist. Catherine remarked that “his song Dentist! was one of the highlights of the show,” while Heidi praised the Act 1 cast, noting “a standout performance from… Woody (Orin).”

The puppeteers and voice artists behind Audrey II also received glowing recognition. Catherine gave “a special shout-out… to the voice of the plant Charlie B – his vocals were so good that I heard someone say they thought it must be a recording until he appeared during the bows.” Heidi similarly admired the technical achievement: “Act 2 started out strongly with a big growth in the plant that was conducted by backstage crew and some ensemble helping bring the plant out.”

The emotional core of the story shone through in numbers such as Somewhere That’s Green and Suddenly Seymour. Catherine wrote, “I was in tears listening to her sing Somewhere That’s Green – she really told the story through the song,” while Heidi described Suddenly Seymour as “beautifully sung and emotional to watch.”

Both reviewers were quick to commend the ensemble and backstage teams. Catherine celebrated them as “the rather unsung heroes who bring the energy and volume to the big numbers,” and Heidi affirmed that “the ensemble throughout provided some relatability to the show and all their acting made the show feel so intricately detailed.”

The production was a triumph not only for its performers but also for its behind-the-scenes teams. Catherine wrote, “a great team of staff, pupils and volunteers had worked tirelessly to pull this together,” while Heidi concluded, “well done to the whole cast, tech crew, backstage crew and Mrs Lacey for putting on such an enjoyed performance.”

As audiences left the theatre, Catherine captured the mood perfectly: “we could feel the buzz of an audience who’d experienced a brilliant night out!”

With such unanimous praise, Little Shop of Horrors stands as a testament to the creativity, teamwork and talent of our pupils at Giggleswick!