Creepy Christmas fun at Richmond

2:56pm Monday 1st December 2008

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STUDENTS are preparing to become plant food in a comedy musical that will have the audience reaching for the weed killer.

Alan Menken’s The Little Shop of Horrors will be staged at Richmond School from December 4 to 6.

Centrepiece will be a giant plant, played by Michael Ash, who is fed human flesh by his owner, geeky flower shop owner Chris Morris.

Sixty students from Years 8 to 13 are involved in every aspect of the production, from performing and marketing, to backstage and set design. Rehearsals started in September.

For GCSE lighting candidates the musical will count towards their final qualification, so complicated and technical is the planned light show.

Head of drama Amy Southworth said: "The students are doing fabulously well. The different age groups are working well together with the older students acting as mentors.

"The Year 8s were desperate to be involved and are so enthusiastic, so we have designed a pre-show about hobos which will happen as the audience is arriving. It has all been brilliant."

The curtain rises at 7.30pm each night. Tickets are available from the school reception at £5 for adults and £3.50 concessions.