Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show is a show that has always had us in suspenders more than suspense. As the show says, there is nothing wrong with giving yourself over to absolute pleasure.
The 50th anniversary production has returned to Melbourne with one major line-up change. Comedian Joel Creasey has stepped in as The Narrator and it has rejuvenated the show.
‘The Rocky Horror’ show has always been larger than life. Every character is exaggerated. To pull off (pardon the pun) the original feeling of the show requires a no-filter extrovert performer capable of giving the audience everything the character has thrown at him.
The Rocky Horror Show has evolved into an audience participation show with audience members regularly “contributing” to the dialogue with hecklers. You need a personality in The Narrator role who has the assets of a quick wit and flamboyance to level the character with the superhero villainy of Frank-N-Furter (Jason Donovan), Riff Raff (Henry Rollo) and Magenta (Stellar Perry).
The Brad and Janet characters, played by Blake Bowden and Deirdre Khoo, are the contrast to the freakish aliens they happen across when their car breaks down on the way to meet Brad’s friend Dr Scott. For a musical, It actually has a plot. The inspiration for Richard O’Brien for The Rocky Horror Show was the abundance of b-grade sci-fi movies in the 50s and 60s like ‘King Kong’ (The Fay Wray reference) and ‘Forbidden Planet’ (name-checked at the start.
The songs are also strong with ‘Time Warp’, ‘Sweet Transvestite’ and ‘Hot Patootie’ now centrepieces of the stage show and standalone songs outside the show.
At 55 Jason Donovan is playing Frank at a lot older an age when Tim Curry played the part in the 1975 movie at age 29. Fun Fact: In the 1978 New Zealand production the part of Frank was played by Gary Glitter.
The Rocky Horror Show is in residence at The Atheneum Theatre in Melbourne until March 23, 2024.
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