The Rocky Horror show is a Cult Classic. It’s also very strange.
Originating at the Royal Court theatre in 1973, The Rocky Horror Show has had numerous productions all over the world since, and it’s easy to see why. It has a huge following – one who is not only completely au fait with dressing up in fishnets, but also who know where the breaks in the script are for them to shout out a variety of possible sentence ends. Sometimes this goes wrong and becomes very awkward. This is not your average night at the theatre.
Other than the famous Time Warp, which comes too early in the show such that the songs that follow feel lacklustre, the music is not memorable. It is well executed, but twee at times and boring at others, with many of the songs following a very straightforward narrative arc and adding little to the plot, which is already thin on the ground.
Featuring Strictly Come Dancing star Joanne Clifton, there was definitely more room for exciting choreography in this production. Instead it is sporadic and messy at times. It is enjoyable but the clearly very talented cast are underused.
The fourth wall does not exist here, the audience are an integral part of the performance and this reduces the possibility of getting lost in the story, maybe finding less madness and more escapism. This show is clearly a good night out for those who want to enjoy it for a second, third, or fourteenth time… but the story is lacking and it does not live up to its fellow slightly ridiculous musicals, such as Little Shop of Horrors or Urinetown. Perhaps The Rocky Horror Show is most well suited to those seeking nostalgia, but perhaps not all theatre has to break new ground or comment on current society?
Emma Betty
Emma Betty is 28 and a nurse in Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Emma has the Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Soundtrack (On CD!) to blame for her love for Musical Theatre, which she found in her parents living room pretty much as soon as she was old enough to know what it was. She began combining her love for Theatre, the Internet and Writing while she was still at school, through various blogs and on social media. Having moved to London in 2013, she launched Upper Circle 4 years later. A couple of years on, she is delighted to have a small team and is so grateful to those helping Upper Circle to grow every day!
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