To the delight of a packed audience of enthusiastic fans, The Rocky Horror Show landed in Sheffield this week.
A show that started from modest beginnings at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in 1973 has since travelled the world and gathered a huge international following of all ages and backgrounds who love the wit, the music, the energy and sheer naughtiness of the musical. 50 years on, it is still pulling in the crowds.
The starting point for writer Richard O’Brien was, as well as Bram Stoker’s 19th century Gothic novel Dracula, a plethora of Hollywood mid-century B-movies based on science fiction which started with a dark and rainy night and led to unthinkable horrors in a strange and spooky castle. O’Brien describes his work as "decidedly lowbrow, juvenile and populist", and it is exactly this, along with delightful parody of the genre and an eye-watering focus on transvestism which make it such an enjoyable evening in the theatre.
The plot introduces us to courting couple Brad (Connor Carson) and Janet (Lauren Chia); cue the brilliant opening song "Dammit Janet", which sets the tone for the rest of the musical and leads us from the rainy night to the broken-down car and a very strange castle. Narrator Nathan Caton does an excellent job of filling in the gaps in the plot and encourages audience participation by responding with ruder comments than he is offered. Brad and Janet are soon stripped of their wet clothes and join the rest of the cast in wearing beautifully designed minimal clothing, which becomes increasingly transsexual as the action develops.
Jason Donovan, who has a long association with the musical, plays the leading role of Frank-N-Furter, a crazed scientist who creates then destroys human creatures when they displease him. His most recent creation is the stunning and well muscled Rocky played by Morgon Jackson, who not only ripples his muscles but does press-ups and impressive gymnastics to entertain us. Job Greter as Riff Raff, the hunchbacked handyman, and his sister Magenta, Natasha Hoeberigs, are important members of the castle community who eventually reveal their true identity, along with Jayme-Lee Zanoncelli as a beautiful Columbia. Edward Bullingham doubles as Eddie, a creature who has failed to please and paid the price, and doesn’t survive long as scientist Dr Scott. Every member of the cast, including the chorus of phantoms, has a powerful singing voice and excellent dance skills, which are enthusiastically exercised in the course of the action.
There is a colourful and adaptable set suitable for a touring production and lighting effects which add drama to the ongoing narrative. The costumes are particularly effective and look very much like those designed by Sue Blane for early productions, which are stunning and shocking at the same time and have inspired audiences to dress in a similar fashion.
The musical is punctuated by an impressive number of rock ‘n' roll songs reminiscent of Elvis, which the audience knew by heart and joined in with during a reprise at the end of the show. The music is loud and brassy, the choreography exacting and the dance vigorous and fun. The audience was familiar with the actions for "Time Warp" and just about able to join in sitting down.
It was a pleasure to talk to local members of the audience, several of whom had seen the show on many occasions or tried to see it annually as a Christmas treat. Their love of the musical was reflected in their knowledge about it, the enjoyment they had in dressing in clothes inspired by it and their determination to see it performed at regular intervals. There is a new generation, young and enthused, who will carry the flame forward.