WAAPA and Curtin University graduate Brent Hill travels wherever his work takes him and is thrilled that happens to be home to Perth in August with Little Shop of Horrors at His Majesty’s Theatre.
The performer has enjoyed a taste of what’s to come during the past three weeks during a brief hiatus from his Helpmann Award-nominated role as Seymour Krelborn between Brisbane and Sydney seasons.
The holiday meant more time with family and performing Saturday nights with his second family, The Big HOO-HAA! crew, at The Brisbane Hotel.
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READ NOW“The break was very welcome because at the end of Brisbane we were pretty show-fatigued,” Hill said.
“Doing eight shows a week is a lot and particularly in this show because I never come off stage in act two; it’s a lot of sweat and I wear denim.
“That being said, now that we’ve getting towards the end of the break I’m getting antsy and ready to get back into it.”
Hill stars in the cult musical comedy, directed by Dean Bryant, as down-on-his-luck flower shop assistant Krelborn who, while working at Mr Mushnik’s flower shop on Skid Row, discovers a carnivorous plant species he names Audrey II after his crush on colleague Audrey.
“Seymour is a bit of a dreamer who gets misguided by a plant who wants blood,” Hill said.
“He’s an innocent soul and unfortunately that’s his downfall; I can’t judge him because I have to be him every night and the second I do that, it would make my job a lot harder.
“He sees another similar soul in Audrey and longs to be with her and love her but unfortunately that’s where it all starts to go awry.”
Hill, who has been in productions of Rock of Ages and Once, said the role had fulfilled a long ambition of his to perform in Little Shop of Horrors. He loved the doo-wop music, theatricality and stage craft of the show, which includes a huge Audrey II puppet created by master puppet makers Erth.
“It’s bizarre because I have to voice Audrey II, so in a weird way I have to try disconnect myself from her but at the same time speak as her,” he said.
“It’s like patting your head and rubbing your stomach with about six more arms.”
THE ESSENTIALS
What: Little Shop of Horrors
Where: His Majesty’s Theatre
When: August 4 to 14
Tickets: www.ticketek.com.au