Altogether now: “It's just a jump to the left, and then a step to the right.” That’s right, ‘Time Warp’, and the show it's from, The Rocky Horror Show, have rolled into town for a raucous night of musical theatre brilliance.
Some 52 years after its debut (and after many stage revivals and a truly iconic big screen version), this is a musical that comes with a wealth of dedicated fans, a raft of them in attendance on opening night. The story will be familiar to most, following a couple whose car has broken down seeking refuge in Frank N Furter’s castle. There they find themselves taking part in both his scientific - and romantic - experimentation.
With a show of this heritage there’s always the risk that things will start to creak and date, particularly one that was so ahead of the times in the early 70s. But The Rocky Horror Show moves at such a terrific pace (particularly in the first half) that this never becomes an issue. We move from musical set piece to musical set piece at such speed that it can leave us breathless, giddy with the show we are watching. Director Christopher Luscome and choreographer Nathan M Wright have worked this production within an inch of its life, aided by Richard O’Brien’s terrific original text. Add to this a beautiful set from Hugh Durrant that gives plenty of space for the cast to envelop the stag,e and costumes from Sue Blane that live up to the musical’s reputation, and this makes for a very fine horror show indeed.
This is a tight cast, slickly choreographed and capable of hitting each of the beats that the show requires. Connor Carson (Brad) and Lauren Chia (Janet) are conduits for those in the audience who are newcomers and also game foils for some of the show’s best moments, including the second half’s hilarious openers. Natasha Hoeberigs (Magenta), Jayme-Lee Zanocelli (Columbia) and Ryan Carter-Wilson (Riff-Raff) all hit their marks perfectly, whilst Morgan Jackson (Rocky) and Edward Bullingham (Eddie) have terrific comedy chops. But it is the production’s two biggest names that stand out. Adam Strong makes a charismatic, gorgeous Frank N Furter, demonstrating his rich career in musical theatre. And Jackie Clune’s Narrator threatens to steal the whole show, comfortably playing off the prompts shouted by the audience.
Really, one of the brilliant features of The Rocky Horror Show is how it turns the audience into its own character. Many attending came in costume, held lights up at key moments and shouted out additional lines. It’s the kind of show that brings with it a fandom comparable to the one developing around the Operation Mincemeat musical or, dare I say, the one we’re seeing with A Minecraft Movie. And the fans are rewarded with a cracking night of theatre.
My partner turned to me at the end and told me her face hurt from smiling so much. And this is the best reason to see The Rocky Horror Show. It is a joyous slice of rock ‘n roll musical escapism, a glittering, delightfully camp evening. It may no longer feel quite as progressive as it once did, but it feels no less a necessary show. We all need a little bit of joy now and again. So let’s do the Time Warp again!