LITTLE SHOP... CHARACTERS
LITTLE SHOP... SONGS
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The scene is a small flower shop on Skid Row, Downtown New York. Mr Mushnik is reading the newspaper as the time passes. The clock reads 2 O'clock and Audrey rushes in, late for work... again. Mushnik notices she has a black-eye and asks how she got it. Audrey is reluctant to tell, but Mushnik guesses correctly that her boyfriend gave it to her. Seymour enters carrying a tray of plants. As he walks across the shop floor he trips, smashing most of the plant pots. Mushnik yells at him, and Audrey helps to sweep up the mess.Six O'clock arrives, and the shop has not had any customers. Mushnik tells Audrey to go home, for he has decided to shut the shop for good. Seymour and Audrey are surprised at the suggestion. Audrey has an idea, they should put a "strange and interesting plant" in the window and customers would be attracted. Seymour brings out a small "strange and interesting plant" that he has been tending. It looks rather like some sort of fly trap. Mushnik doesn't think much of the idea, but as Seymour places the plant in the window, a man enters and asks where they got that "strange and interesting plant". Seymour tells how he came across the plant at a chinese flower shop during a total eclipse of the sun. The customer buys $100 worth of roses, and they are back in business.All that evening, the customers pour into the shop and they make more money than they have in years. Mushnik is overjoyed and offers to take everyone to dinner. Audrey is grateful but she already has a date, and makes her way home. As Seymour asks if the offer of dinner is still on, the plant withers. Mushnik tells him to get below and tend to the plant. In the basement, Seymour looks in a couple of books, but cannot find anything about that kind of plant. Nothing he tries seems to help. Giving up, Seymour goes to tidy the basement and pricks his finger on a rose thorn. The plant, that Seymour has named Audrey II, seems to perk up. Seymour offers it his finger and it swallows a few drops of blood. As Seymour goes back into the shop, Audrey II starts to grow.
Audrey II soon becomes a sensation, and Seymour is invited to give a talk on the radio station, and appears in several magazines. Seymour carries on feeding the plant from his cut fingers and is soon covered in plasters. The shop is closed for a few days while it is renovated. Audrey II is now very large and is quite an attraction. Mushnik overhears some girls telling Seymour he should leave the shop, and take his plant and make money elsewhere or himself. This gives him quite a shock, realising that Seymour may actually do this, so he offers to adopt Seymour who takes him up on his offer.Audrey goes off on another date with her boyfriend, Orin Scrivello DDS. Seymour meets him for the first time and it is instant dislike. Orin is a dentist who enjoys his job, because it causes people pain. He makes Audrey wear handcuffs and treats her like dirt. Arriving home, she dreams of better things, a life with Seymour and a house right out of Better Homes magazine. In the shop, Seymour finishes tidying up and is about to go down the store for something to eat. As he leaves, he hears a voice saying "Feed me." He looks around, seeing no-one. He hears the voice again, and is amazed to see Audrey II moving, and talking. Seymour tells Audrey II that he doesn't want to go on feeding him, but the plant offers many things.Realising that he may be able to get Audrey for himself, he thinks again. Seeing Audrey arrive home with Orin beating her, he agrees with Audrey II that the dentist would make fine plant food. The next day, Seymour gets an appointment with Orin, intent on shooting him. The dentist doesn't seem worried that Seymour has a gun. Before operating, Orin uses laughing gas to make himself high. On this occasion, he decides to use his special mask. After he has had his fill, he goes to remove the mask but it is stuck. After a few chuckles, the dentist has laughed his last. Seymour takes the body back to the shop and feeds Audrey II, not realising that Mushnik saw him chopping up the body.
Seymour and Audrey have a hard time answering all the telephones at work, due to the huge amount of orders they are getting. He notices that she is upset, and asks what the matter is. She tells him that she had a visit from the police about Orin, saying he disappeared and they expect foul play. In her heart, she is relieved that he is gone. Seymour comforts her and they kiss passionately. Audrey exits and Mushnik tells Seymour that he will take him to the police if he is not told what Seymour feeds Audrey II, who is now enormous, reaching the shop ceiling. As Mushnik threatens, Audrey II opens up and Mushnik turns around, taken aback by what he sees. He goes for a closer look and Audrey II's jaws snap shut on him, and he is swallowed whole. Seymour tells Audrey that Mushnik has had to go away for an extended period of time.Now that Audrey II is even bigger, Seymour gets many more calls from reporters, and is given contracts offering him a weekly gardening show, and a story on Life magazine. Audrey tells him to go for the success but he is worried. Seymour feels that he may lose Audrey if he doesn't stick with the plant and signs the contracts. While Seymour is gone, Audrey II uses the payphone to call Audrey, who arrives at the shop wondering who the mysterious voice belongs to. She is amazed and frightened to see the plant talking to her. Audrey II asks her for water, and cautiously she starts to water the plant's leaves. As soon as she is close enough, Audrey II grabs the frightened girl and rears up to swallow. As Audrey is about to be eaten, Seymour rushes into the shop and manages to free her from Audrey II's jaws.
STAGE ENDING
Audrey lays on the floor next to Seymour, dying. She tells Seymour that when she dies, she would like to be fed to the plant so that Seymour can stay a success. Everytime Seymour tends to the plant, he will be tending to her. She dies in his arms and Seymour carries her to the plant and lays her down in its jaws. A man comes in, and tells Seymour his idea. He would like to take cuttings from Audrey II and breed them so that every house in America can have one. Seymour tells him to leave, and the man tells him to think about it. Alone with Audrey II, Seymour tries to do away with the plant, but as he tries to hack the insides, Audrey II swallows him also. The man comes back with his assistants, who take cuttings from Audrey II. The plant's success is ensured.
FILM ENDING
Audrey and Seymour rush out into the safety of the street, and a man appears looking for Seymour. He offers Seymour a large sum of money to take cuttings from Audrey II so that every household in America can have one, they'll be bigger than Hula Hoops! Seymour shouts at the man and tells him to leave him alone forever. Alone again with Audrey, he tells her that he is going to do away with the plant. She offers to help, but he feels it is something he must do on his own. The plant put up a great fight, and Seymour learns for the first time where Audrey II came from, outer space. As Audrey II tries to kill Seymour, many miniature Audrey II's spring from its branches, and the plant destroys the shop. Seymour grabs an electrical cable from the debris and electrocutes the alien plant. The ending is happy, as Seymour and Audrey find a new life for themselves in that house she always dreamed of. But in the garden, a bud just like Audrey II smiles to itself...
