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Casting announced for Little Shop of Horrors
26
Apr
By Open Air Theatre
Published: 26 April 2018
We are excited to announce our casting for Little Shop of Horrors, which opens on 3 August 2018.
Marc Antolin and Jemima Rooper play Seymour and Audrey, with Forbes Masson in the role of East Side florist Mr Mushnik. Matt Willis takes the role of sadistic dentist Orin, and the plant, Audrey II, is played by U.S. drag queen Vicky Vox.
Director Maria Aberg: “The figure of Audrey II represents chaos at the heart of the downtrodden, deeply conventional world of Skid Row. She is everything Seymour's existence is not - anarchic, queer, wickedly funny. Borne out of his greed, combined with his secret desires, the plant explodes like an out-of-control after party onto the stage, seducing and terrifying in equal measure, all with a knowing glint in the eye and a filthy sense of humour. Fuelled by Seymour's own wish for success she grows increasingly demanding, increasingly glamorous, and increasingly unreasonable, until she's conquered the whole of New York and the show erupts in a huge, defiant celebration of the subversive and the downright fabulous.”
Keep up to date with news on Little Shop of Horrors via https://skidrow.blog/
Marc Antolin (Seymour) is currently appearing as Marc Chagall in The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Kneehigh / UK / USA Tour) and returns to the Open Air Theatre following appearances in Hello, Dolly! and Into The Woods. Recent credits also include Twelfth Night, Romantics Anonymous (The Globe / Sam Wanamaker); Peter Pan (National Theatre); The Trial (Young Vic); Taken at Midnight (Haymarket / Chichester Festival); Amadeus, Singin’ in the Rain (Chichester Festival); Matilda (RSC / Cambridge Theatre) and the film London Road.
Jemima Rooper (Audrey) recently appeared as Karen Marston in Death in Paradise (BBC); Trauma (ITV); Atlantis (BBC) and Hex (Sky One). Theatre credits include Me and My Girl (Sheffield Crucible - Best Performance in a Musical nomination, UK Theatre Awards); One Man, Two Guvnors (National Theatre / UK Tour / West End / Broadway - Best Supporting Actress nomination, WhatsOnStage Awards); Blithe Spirit (Gielgud / US Tour); All My Sons (Gielgud - Best Supporting Actress nomination, WhatsOnStage Awards) and The Norman Conquests (Chichester Festival). She also appeared in the films Kinky Boots and The Black Dahlia.
Vicky Vox (Audrey II) is a U.S. drag queen, working extensively on the West Coast. Originally from New Jersey, she performed in the band DWV with songs becoming viral hits on YouTube and, in 2013, performed at the ‘Life Ball’ in Vienna. On film Vicky appeared in movie Magic Mike XXL. Little Shop of Horrors marks her theatre debut.
Matt Willis (Orin) first found fame as bassist, vocalist and writer for the pop-punk band Busted. After several chart successes, including four number one singles, they dispersed in 2005 and Matt embarked on a solo career, releasing the singles Up All Night, Hey Kid, Don’t Let It Go To Waste, and a cover version of Crash for the film Mr Bean’s Holiday. In 2013, members of Busted joined with McFly to form the supergroup McBusted. Busted re-formed in 2016. Matt’s theatre credits include Footloose (Shaftesbury Theatre); Flashdance The Musical (UK Tour) and as Fiyero in Wicked (Apollo Victoria). In December 2017 he also appeared in The Christmasaurus (Eventim Apollo). Since winning I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Matt has enjoyed a successful career as a TV presenter, and also appeared in EastEnders, and as Garth Stubbs in the revival of Birds of a Feather.
Forbes Masson (Mr Mushnik) was most recently seen in Summer and Smoke (Almeida). Having appeared extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company, other recent theatre credits include Big Fish (The Other Palace); Boudica (Shakespeare's Globe); Terror (Lyric Hammersmith); Travesties (Apollo Theatre / Menier Chocolate Factory); Doctor Faustus (Duke of York’s) and Mr Foote's Other Leg (Hampstead Theatre/Theatre Royal Haymarket). Television includes Catastrophe, Doctors, Shetland: Dead Water; EastEnders; Young Person's Guide To Becoming A Rock Star and The High Life.
The cast also includes Renée Lamb, Seyi Omooba and Christina Modestou as Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette. Renée Lamb recently appeared as Catherine of Aragon in SIX (Arts Theatre). Seyi Omooba appeared in Boxed (Vaults Theatre); Little Beasts (Other Palace); Ragtime (Charing Cross Theatre) and The Color Purple (Cadogan Hall). Christina Modestou recently appeared as Anne Boleyn in SIX (Arts Theatre) and in the 20th anniversary production of Rent (UK Tour). Christina’s other recent credits include The Last Mermaid (Wales Millennium Centre); Shrek (UK Tour); Urinetown (Apollo); In The Heights (Southwark Playhouse) and We Will Rock You (Dominion).
Completing the cast are: Joe Allen, Josh Baker, Billy Cullum, Julian Hoult, Rosalind James, Bobbie Little, Helen Siveter and Mary Lynn Tiep.
