Exeter Northcott opens Little Shop of Horrors, its first big self-made musical in 20 years
Exeter Northcott Theatre has opened its own production of Little Shop of Horrors, its first full-scale musical made in-house for 20 years.
The run plays in Exeter from 1 to 17 October 2026, according to details published in August. British Theatre After Exeter, the same production travels to Lighthouse Poole. A produced show here means the theatre has built it itself, rather than bringing in a visiting production.
Scott McClure plays Seymour. Leigh Quinn plays Audrey. Andrew Whitehead plays Mr Mushnik. WhatsOnStage
Ross Clifton plays Orin Scrivello. Laura Buhagiar plays Ronnette, Jodie Micciché plays Chiffon and Jessica Ncube plays Crystal, the trio who sing around much of the action.
The production is directed by Martin Berry, the Northcott’s creative director and joint chief executive. Exeter Northcott Theatre Choreography is by Leanne Pinder.
Audrey II, the plant at the centre of the story, is worked as a puppet. Duncan Taylor is puppetry director. Dashaun Vegas provides the offstage voice.
What makes this stand out is scale. For a regional house, a full musical built from scratch takes a large cast, a band, costumes, sets and weeks of rehearsal. It costs far more than receiving a tour.
For audiences, this means an Exeter-made version first. The Northcott calls it a gloriously entertaining, funny and thrilling night out.
The Northcott is a registered charity. It says more than 100,000 people a year see events across the Northcott and its sister venue, the Barnfield Theatre. Its year also includes the Elevate festival for South-West artists, the Reclaim festival celebrating women in the arts, and the Devon Choirs Big Weekender.
Next up, comedy trio Le Navet Bete returns for Sleeping Beauty, billed by the theatre as its fastest-selling panto yet. The Barnfield hosts A (Little) Christmas Carol over the festive season. Portland Spies, a South West-focused play, follows in spring 2027.
