The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Kings Theatre, Glasgow, 26/02/13
Suspenders – check! Gold hot pants – check! Dancing until your feet hurt – double check!
Cult favourite musical, The Rocky Horror Show, continues its 40th anniversary tour as it arrives in Glasgow this month. With performances every evening this week until 2 March, the raunchy musical is leaving audiences completely danced off their feet by the end of the night.
Apart from all the usual madness that goes on at a performance of The Rocky Horror Show including the audience participation, dressing up in your best undies and dancing to the Time Warp, this show offers an incredible, exciting and risqué evening of entertainment. If you’re a Rocky virgin, don’t despair. There are widely Google-able rules and regulations you can consult before taking your seats in the theatre!
You might recognise some famous faces if you have tickets to one of the performances this week, as X Factor contestant Rhydian plays the part of gold hot pant-wearing Rocky, Emmerdale’s Roxanne Pallett plays Janet and winner of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Superstar, Ben Forster, plays Brad. Hugely talented musical theatre performer Oliver Thornton takes on the role of Dr Frank-N-Furter and he’s no stranger to rocking a pair of heels after his stint playing Felicia in Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
For anyone new to Rocky: the story line is mad, but hilarious. Thornton leads the rest of the cast magnificently with his incredible performance, which leaves the audience screaming in delight. Forster and Pallett also give excellent and vocally superb performances as sickly 50s sweethearts turned devotees of Dr Frank. Although it’s difficult to take your eyes off Rhydian’s eight pack and Oliver Thornton’s incredible legs in those suspenders, if you manage, just for a second, to catch a glimpse of the supporting actors – they are rather brilliant too. With a cast of only twelve, they do a phenomenal job to keep the audience energised, entertained and completely smitten until the very end.
You’ll recognise most of the musical’s songs including the ‘impossible-not-to-dance-to’ classic Time Warp, Dammit Janet and Science Fiction Double Feature. The musical number to hold your breath for however is Thornton’s rendition of Sweet Transvestite. The cloak, the reveal, and the screaming audience all spoke for themselves as he strutted around in huge stiletto heels more confidently than any woman ever could.
The only bad thing about the performance – it’s over in a flash. You’re having so much fun singing and dancing along, being swept away in the story that it feels like you’ve only just found your seat and the cast are taking their final bows. Advice to anyone with a ticket would be to savour every moment, enjoy it and embrace the madness for the short two hours you’ll be there for.
If you’re considering going to see the performance and are new story, don’t be put off by the cult following. The hard-core fans will welcome you in with open arms and no doubt drag you to your feet to take part in the Time Warp dance routine. If you’re an old hat at this musical and know all the right bits to shout out in, you’re going to love every minute. The cast are brilliant, the staging is perfect and minimal set is just right. Prepare yourself for an evening for unadulterated smut, incredible music and lots and lots of exposed flesh.
[rating=5]
First time at Rocky Horror P S. It was brilliant and certainly wont be the last time! The audiance were noisy and fun and the cast, perfect. Thought I’d be disapointed it wasn’t Tim Curry playing Frank but I wasn’t. Loved the show. Can’t wait until it tours again.