The Young Arcadians is the junior theatre group of the Letchworth Arcadians AND considered to be one of the premier amateur operatic SOCIETIES in the East of England
Every year, the Arcadians perform a musical at St Christopher School in Letchworth during the February half term to packed houses. After their fantastic rendition of Beauty and the Beast last year, I couldn't wait to see Little Shop of Horrors. The cast included some rising acting stars from KTS, with many holding leading roles.
First performed in the 1950s, Little Shop of Horrors is a charming and kooky musical about the life of Seymour Krelborn (Freddy Goldscheider) who becomes an overnight sensation after he discovers an exotic plant which he names Audrey II to impress Audrey, a co-worker of his at Mushnik’s (Dan Barnicott) flower shop. After the plant begins to wilt, Seymour begins to worry about it. Matters turn darker as the flower demands human blood. Before you can say 'Baby Bio' Seymour's plant is consuming people whole.
The only distraction was a bat who managed to enter into the school and fly above the stage for the entire performance. Perhaps it thought the musical was Dracula. The Young Arcadians did the musical justice in my opinion. The set was fantastic, with the Audrey II plant looking scarily realistic. The colourful clothing and Converse sneakers added to the Swinging Sixties American theme. In addition, the accents were on point from everyone. The timing and lighting cues however were slightly out of time, but for me this was not a major issue.
The most notable performances for me came from the KTS representatives. Freddy Goldscheider I felt was the stand out as the story’s protagonist, with his depiction of the humble role of Seymour note perfect. With his singing ability and acting, he looked like he was made for that role.
Dan Barnicott’s role was funny as a corny shopkeeper. His moustache and his scene with Freddy, where asks him to be his son, made the audience rock with laughter. Other notable mentions must go to Laura Gregory whose singing was stellar in Skiddettes and many familiar faces were working hard in the chorus, like Emily Hunter.
Overall, I was extremely impressed by Little Shop of Horrors. All the KTS stars and cast should be very proud. It makes me happy to see so many actors having fun and enjoying themselves. It was a great team effort and I have never met such an enthusiastic group of performers in my life. Let’s hope for more of the same in the future.