A group of talented students will give shoppers a taste of a rock comedy horror show involving a murderous plant.
Theatre, Television and Performance students from Glyndwr University will descend on Eagles Meadow shopping centre at 2.30pm on Friday, December 13, to perform numbers of the Little Shop of Horrors musical.
They will be performing their high energy version of the Broadway musical at the Catrin Finch Centre on the Glyndwr University campus from the December 17 to 19, with matinees at 1.30pm and evening shows at 7.30pm.
The cult classic based on the 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors is about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh.
Senior lecturer Elen Mai Nefydd, head of Theatre, Television and Performance at Glyndwr University said: “This year it’s the biggest challenge we’ve ever had because we’ve got almost 70 people in the cast.
“Every year we put on a Christmas production at Glyndwr and this is the biggest show to date we’ve done in the department, which shows that the department is growing but also that the skills of the students are developing a great deal.
“There are a lot of different elements this year that we’re bringing together.
“We’re using a live band on stage. We’ve got a plant which is huge six foot plant. Also we’ve got computing students at Glyndwr providing CGI backdrops for us.
“We’ve even have our head of creative industries Dr Stuart Cunningham playing the guitar for us, so it’s a very exciting project.
“There are big songs where we’re utilising all of the students on stage with dance routines and movements and so on.
“They’re quite iconic songs like ‘Suddenly, Seymour’ and Skid Row.”
Third year student Adam Russell, 20, who plays hapless Seymour, explained: “He stumbles upon this plant and they become friends. The plant grows because Seymour is feeding him human blood.”
The plant encourages a murderous streak in Seymour to win the heart of Audrey, the musical’s love interest.
Adam added: He’s been in love with her for a long time but has never had the confidence to say it.
“The plant him the way to get what he wants in life is to kill people, and what he wants is a life with Audrey. He’ll do anything to get it.”
Second year student Elyse Hansbury, 19, plays Audrey, the love interest, in the musical.
She said: “It’s a big help to be able to go to Eagles Meadow to promote the show because although we’ve been putting up flyers and advertising it over Facebook and on the university campus, it also helps to get out to see people let them know, so they can see the characters themselves.
“We’re all in our costumes as well so we can give them a bit of flavour of what’s going to be in the show. It’s almost like a try before you buy.”
Third year student Jason Whitehurst, 21, who plays evil love rival Orin said: “My character is a dentist is because he likes inflicting pain on people.
“He rips teeth out for pleasure because he’s a sadist. He won’t give people anaesthetic or anything like that because he likes to inflict pain on them.
“He abuses Audrey, slaps her around orders her about. Every time she speaks he’s derogatory to her, putting her down all of the time.
“He tries to bully Seymour to get him out of the picture.”
Kevin Critchley, the Manager of Eagles Meadow, is a big fan of the show.
He said: “I can’t wait to see them performing here and I hope it helps drum up interest in their production.”
To buy tickets please visit www.glyndwr.ticketsolve.com/shows/873503591/events
or call the Box Office on 01978 293293. Tickets cost £8 and concession cost £6.50
