I was wondering what the energy would be like for Rocky Horror on the Tuesday after a bank holiday weekend. Would the audience be tired and recovering – not yet eager to do The Time Warp? Oxford, how could I have doubted you? It’s a tale as old as time: Boy meets girl; boy and girl get beckoned into a spooky castle; boy and girl get seduced by a cross-dressing Transylvanian.
Connor Carson plays the Buddy Holly look-alike Brad Majors with Lauren Chia playing the doe-eyed Janet Weiss, both of whose talent brought to life the tale of a white-picketed dream torn to shreds. By whom? Adam Strong leaves the audience cross-legged as the masterfully seductive Dr Frank-N-Furter, with a voice to challenge Tim Curry’s immortal portrayal.
Backed up by a cast who truly paid homage to the cult credentials of Rocky Horror. Tuesday night’s fishnet-clad deviants hooted callbacks to make Miriam Margolyes blush, which the narrator (Jackie Clune) served skilfully back. Meanwhile Riffraff (Job Greuter), Magenta (Natasha Hoeberigs), Rocky (Morgan Jackson) and Columbia (Jayme-Lee Zanoncelli) earned my standing ovation, The New Theatre’s art deco interior being the perfect stage for their flapper-inspired closing number.
How many more ways can I say I loved it?
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The Rocky Horror Show first began life in 1973 and has become the longest continuous run of a contemporary musical anywhere in the world. The film adaptation is still shown in cinemas more than 40 years after its premiere, making it the longest running theatrical release in cinema history, and its many stars have included Russell Crowe, Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Jerry Springer, Jason Donovan and Meatloaf.
This new staging introduces Adam Strong (We Will Rock You / Disney’s Aladdin) in his Rocky debut, playing Dr Frank'n'Further. He'll be joined by a sterling cast including Motherland star Jackie Clune as The Narrator and on-stage swing from Alex Hetherington and on-stage swing/dance captain Stacey Monahan.
The show tells the story of Brad and his fiancée Janet, two squeaky clean college kids who meet Dr Frank’n’Furter by chance when their car breaks down outside his house whilst on their way to visit their favourite college professor. It’s an adventure they’ll never forget, with fun, frolics, frocks and frivolity, bursting with timeless songs and outrageous outfits. The Rocky Horror Show is a guaranteed party, which famously combines science-fiction, horror, comedy and music while encouraging audience participation - meaning, of course, getting dressed-up in the most outrageous fancy dress.
Ready to thrill you with fun and naughty moments, the Rocky Horror Show is the boldest bash of them all. But be warned, this show has rude parts...
The Rocky Horror Show is on at The New Theatre, Oxford
21-26 April
Tickets from £10, atgtickets.com/oxford or rockyhorror.co.uk
Banner photo (C) David Freeman
