CULT classic The Little Shop of Horrors is taking to the stage in Dorset.

The best play ever written about a giant man-eating plant will be performed at the Regent in Christchurch from tomorrow to Saturday.

Award winning BMT Productions present the gleefully gruesome musical comedy at 7.30pm each evening with 2.30pm matinees on Thursday and Saturday.

Howard Ashman’s smash off-Broadway hit has had audiences literally screaming with laughter ever since its launch in America in 1982. This cult classic, which was actually inspired by a 1960 Roger Corman horror film, won the New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical.

The show transferred to London in 1984, capturing the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical and was then memorably filmed in Hollywood in 1986 with Rick Moranis and Steve Martin in the lead roles. If a Venus Flytrap had the same jaws as Jaws, that’s the size of Audrey II, an all singing, all dancing jolly green man-eating giant whose chilling catchphrase is “Feed Me”.

Seymour is the weedy florist’s assistant in charge of this monstrosity, which is proving a great attraction and boost to the balance sheet as people visit the shop to see it.

Seymour has named the plant Audrey II in honour of Audrey, the bubbly blonde cashier at the florists, who he secretly fancies. The problem is that she already has a boyfriend, Orin, a sadistic dentist who drives a big motorbike, wearing kinky black leathers and is loud mouthed with it.

The musical score is a fest of horror hits, including the title song, Suddenly Seymour, Somewhere That’s Green and Audrey II’s theme tune – Suppertime. The sound was inspired by the fast moving music of such 60s girl groups as The Shirelles.

Call 01202 499199 for tickets or go to regentcentre.co.uk