Little Shop of Horrors (Westside Theatre)

See it if you're like the show/movie. Great sets, amazing puppet.

Don't see it if Talent was uneven. Some gave great acting some gave great singing. No one did both. Regardless it was great fun with beloved story & tunes.

See it if You're a fan of Little Shop or have never seen it before. Very polished production. Great puppet. Incredible songs. Very fun.

Don't see it if Vocals from some of the cast were a little disappointing but not a reason to not see it.

See it if A lighthearted and fun take on Little Shop. All performances were solid.

Don't see it if You don’t like Little Shop.

See it if u want to see a jaunty, sentimental, nostalgic, expertly staged, faithful revival of the feel-good horror cult classic (now a pop staple).

Don't see it if you expect a reimagining, updating or contemporizing of the material [This is strictly a by-the-numbers homage, albeit a skillful one.]

Also This production is proof-positive that some shows belong in an intimate setting and are not all bound for Broadway or cavernous performing arts centers. Sometimes, things are better enjoyed on a "big, enormous twelve-inch screen", rather than in IMAX at the multiplex.... Read more Read less

See it if entertainingly absurdist tale of murderous plant; hear Menken's fine music, Ashman's witty lyrics; Chris Borle masterful in various roles

Don't see it if fatuous plot; 2 much Borsht Belt humor; uneasy marriage of silliness & darkness; some music dated; anti-racism message too obscure/see below

Also Little Shop may be viewed from a number of perspectives. On one level, it may be viewed as a Faustian tale where nebbishy Seymour makes a deal w the devil (the plant) to gain fame, fortune & the love of Audrey. As in Faust, once Seymour gives into his darkest impulses, they consume him & everyone around him. Or deeper yet, one may view the tale as over-the-top Swiftian satire.* The plant, which sings R&B and speaks w a pronounced Southern accent, clearly sounds black. Per some critics, its murderous behavior & its nefarious plan to have its offspring infiltrate communities here and wide is a reflection of the racist portrait of blacks being painted by white politicians like Nixon and Reagan. Seen in this way, Little Shop becomes an absurdist send-up of the racist campaigns being waged vs the black population. Too bad this Black Lives Matter message is not made more overt.

*Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" proposes that the burden of the poor be relieved by eating their children.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy dark comedy and quirky, off-beat stories. The score is fun and you can’t beat Groff and Borle in an intimate setting.

Don't see it if you’re turned off by human sacrifice. Lol

See it if You love the show or have never seen it. It’s a terrific, traditional staging of a great show with a great cast (Borle especially).

Don't see it if You dislike the show or these actors, or are expecting a new staging.

See it if great acting (Borle rocks all his characters/Grof is adorable), music, dance & song. Audrey 2 & puppeteers are terrific, intimate setting.

Don't see it if you want an Ellen Greene impersonator. Blanchard is vulnerable/lovable but doesn't have Greene's singing chops. Accept that & all is good.

See it if you want to see a near-perfect production of a classic camp musical performed, as it should be, in a small theater

Don't see it if don't like shows with puppets, if you are looking for something serious, or if you object to paying Broadway prices off-Broadway.

Also Christian Borle is a hoot playing multiple roles including the dentist. Tammy Blanchard's Audrey is more beat down and hangdog than Ellen Greene's. At times the orchestra drowned out the delightful Greek chorus of urchins so it was hard to make out the lyrics.... Read more Read less

See it if you love funny, creative, bright comedy.Christian Borle is BRILLIANT.The rest of the cast is delightful, but he is brlliant

Don't see it if you want a straightforward comedy or a big brassy musical.This is clever, quintessential downtown theatre. I love it.

Also I usually avoid Westside Theatre. I will never understand why they are content being so hard for people with disabilities to get into. I am sure they could install an elevator.It is unacceptable that there is a mainstream theatre that is impossible for someone in a wheelchair to go to.Their audience is largely older. Bad, bad, bad.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy a true Broadway musical, it harkens back to successful traditional shows. Groff and Borle shine

Don't see it if references to sadism and flesh eating plants make you ill.

Also While the show has many improvements and offers references to the original off Broadway production, unlike some local critics, I was not fond of Blanchards singing, and while the Ronettes had fun personalities and nice singing voices, the trio was not as harmonic as the originals and the orchestrations not as lush... Read more Read less

See it if you want to have a fun evening in the theater. Groff could not be better & Borle is very funny in multiple parts. Fine production!

Don't see it if Groff, Borle & the Urchins had terrific voices. Blanchard less so.Sometimes had difficulty hearing all her lyrics, tho still sympathetic.

See it if fun revival of horror cult classic with great set & amazing puppetry; Borle great in various roles especially as creepy dentist; Groff*

Don't see it if don't like dark comedies about man-eating plants; want all the fun lyrics to be understood - a couple of times the chorus was not

Also *wonderful as the nerdish clerk who becomes obsessed with fame. Also wonderful trio of singers as the chorus that comments on the action.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see Jonathan Groff be completely wonderful as Seymour. So much fun I would see it again. Christian Borle was a hoot. Thumbs up

Don't see it if You expect Tammy Blanchard to hold up to Ellen Greene perf. Sadly, she doesn't have the vocal chops for the role, and odd char. choices.

Also So let me say that I love the show and this is the close to a perfect version! The couple glitches are that the balance of the 3 urchins were off on some numbers. It could have been the mic volume on the one singing melody was too low. but the real downside is that I didn't get Blanchard's casting. She played Audrey as Heddy LaRue, was too old for Groff, and despite looking fabulous in her costumes, she couldn't sing the role...at all. However, it's such a great part, that she's still sympathetic. The choreography was good and the direction was great. I would have loved to see "call Me in the Morning" use the phones to tangle them up as in the original. Without the added sexual tension of them being so close, the number is very dry. The two larger plants were impeccable with their "lip syncing" Super fun choreo for "You Never know" Go see it!... Read more Read less

See it if I saw it first time In the Village. See this production. LOVE LOVE LOVED IT. FABULOUS

Don't see it if You want to see a big Broadway Production. Personally I’d say DON’T MISS THIS ONE

See it if Great revival of classical musical.Plays well in small,intimate theater.Outstanding props and mastery of puppetry. Cast excels.Borle shines.

Don't see it if You think you've seen it too many times. Each production,particularly with different casts, makes it worthwhile to revisit.

See it if you are a fan of the story. This was a fantastic version. I loved everything about it. Especially enjoyed Tammy Blanchard as Audrey.

Don't see it if you aren't a fan of the show. It doesn't reinvent anything--it just presents the old material in a practically perfect way.

Also The urchins stole the show in my opinion. Tight harmonies, expressive characters and a delight to watch from start to finish. That is saying a lot because the whole cast was incredible. Perfect role for Jonathan Groff. Blanchard's approach to Audrey was different than the traditional approach made famous by Ellen Greene, but I really liked her interpretation of the role. Tom Alan Robbins was delightful as Mr. Mushnik, and Christian Borle as the Dentist and others was a true chameleon and showcased his talents as several varied characters. The ticket price may be up there, but wow, what a fun night of theater!... Read more Read less

See it if You can get a ticket and would like a goofy horror musical.

Don't see it if Silly isn’t your thing.

Also Groff really spits a lot while he sings, so be prepared if you’re on the front row.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a stellar cast taking on a classic piece; you want a Broadway quality production in a beautifully intimate space.

Don't see it if you will be distracted by flying spittle; you're not a fan of the show or the movie

See it if Welcome back to Skid Row ... Groff and Borle. Perfect space and production and design,

Don't see it if You know every word, just see it and relax.

See it if you want a delightful escape into a fun fantasy. Christian Borle is amazing & all the cast were super!

Don't see it if you don't want to laugh!

See it if you want to see Little Shop back where it belongs in a small theatre! Jonathan Groff and Christian Borle are perfect. It's so much fun!

Don't see it if you do not like campy musicals. It is not meant to be taken seriously.

See it if You want to experience pure joy in musical theater form. Groff and Borle are perfect and the Ronnettes are beyond entertaining.

Don't see it if Other than cost (which is high, but worth it if you can afford it) I cannot think of any reason to miss this production.

See it if Dream cast of Groff Borle & Blanchard makes for an unforgettable experience

Don't see it if Blanchard seems to be channeling Zellweiger doing Garland but in the end it works as a character arc

See it if this is a show you like. Some people don't. I think this is a strong production of a fun show. Groff is great, Borle and Blanchard, too.

Don't see it if you don't like quirky rather dark musicals. But this one is fun! My only complaint is that I couldn't understand lyrics when the chorus sang