Intervu Little Shop of Horrors

“Little Shop of Horrors” Poster

I sit down with Madi Bouchta, the director of Cross Key Productions’s staging of Little Shop of Horrors 

“I think pre-planning is a beautiful thing. Also thinking about how you want audiences to feel and want you want them to takeaway, that should be your accomplice throughout.”

Staging a show such as Little Shop of Horrors is no small feat, but staging it well and bringing your own original take on it too is something else entirely. It is a task that Cross Key Productions and Madi Bouchta seem up to the task of conquering!

I ask her what her process behind this production has been?

“It’s been a long time coming. We had our first conversations about it last Trinity.” Excitedly, she tells me. “I was in a production of Little Shop of Horrors when I was younger and I’ve always loved the show.” Understanding, she is not alone in this and that the Little Shop of Horrors reaches far and wide, she goes on to say, "It's such a fun show and such a cult classic. So many people love it. It has such a fanbase behind it.”

“Do you want me to ramble about my vision and stuff? Madi asks, slightly embarrassed.

Yes, of course, I say gladly. 

She starts: “I watched the National Theatre’s Oklahoma on the West End a few years ago, I think it was 2023 and what they wanted to do with that show…” She pauses. “It's such a golden age classic musical - and yet it has quite big issues in misogyny and how women are depicted and are used throughout the show in quite and uncomfortable way today.” She gestures. “And they staged it in quite like a cool, abstract way and I was quite interested in bringing that idea to Little Shop.”

“How can we make such a loved show, that inherently has such good intentions and yet how with the characters, Audrey specifically, with regards to domestic abuse, are quite uncomfortable today.”

“How can we deconstruct that? Not just making fun of domestic abuse but tackling it head on and not glorifying it in a way.”

I ask Madi why people should come see this production specifically?

With glee, she pitches it to me: “It’s Little Shop but not entirely as you know it! We still keep the heart of the show but there are some elements that are a lot different.” Bubbly, she goes on to say, “I think, especially in Oxford theatre, there is not a lot of large scale puppetry. Our wonderful puppet designer has made these four puppets and they are incredible!”

Madi gets interrupted and exclaims: “I just got sent a video! It looks so realistic!” 

She says that the pupper designer for the shoe is “kind of a genius,” and to see all of their work, specifically, “take shape is so impressive.”

Finally, Madi adds proudly, that “our set has multiple layers and is quite big, with the shop being this underground dingy thing.”

I ask what she wants people to take away from it?

“We have some of the most incredible actors, singers and dancers in Oxford! And for some of the cast it's their first ever show - which blows my mind because they’re all so talented.” Going back to her point earlier, she explains to me that “The last production of Little Shop of Horrors [in Oxford] didn’t have three black women and we were only going to do the show if we could. And they are just so incredible and have this amazing three part harmony and are just so, so talented!”

“It takes a village to put on a show. I couldn't have done this without all the people involved.” She beams with praise, proud of her entire team.

I ask Madi if she has any advice for anyone looking to do what she does?

She thinks for a moment before answering, “I think pre-planning is a beautiful thing. Also thinking about how you want audiences to feel and want you want them to takeaway, that should be your accomplice throughout. I think letting your cast know early on what this is going to be like so they understand the time commitment - I think that’s really important, to respect their time.”

With care for her team being one of her top priorities, she adds: “Be incredibly grateful for people giving up their time for you and your vision. Everyone is giving up their own time to do crazy things and they are choosing to help you and your project.”

Finally, I ask her, what’s next?

“Our House!” It appears her work never stops and she waves her arms and exclaims: “It’s big! We have a cast of 34 - which is insane. We have live musicians on the playhouse stage and ensemble choreo. We have a lot of newcomers which is really exciting, especially for their first show to be on the playhouse stage.”

Calming down slightly, she says, “I’ve also been helping freshers, I’ve started a writer’s group. It’s something I did last year with my friend Maisie and we had so much fun in putting on a piece of theatre for the joy of it.” She adds, “It’s been really fun helping out the first years to do their own thing.”

Finally, coyly she leaves me with this: “Watch this space for things…”

The instagram account for Cross Keys Productions is: https://www.instagram.com/crosskeysproductions/

Tickets for Little Shop of Horrors, running from the 18th - 21st of February at the Keble O'Reilly Theatre can be found here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/oxford/the-keble-oreilly-theatre/little-shop-of-horrors-keble-oreilly-theatre/e-rbdzrp

Tickets for Our House, running from the 20th - 23rd of May at the Oxford Playhouse can be found here: https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/our-house