Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham – until Saturday 15 August 2021
Reviewed by Louise Ford.
5*****
Don’t Dream it, be it!
Well what a way to get back into the theatre and blow away those lock down blues. The Rocky Horror Show (written by Richard O’Brien back in 1973) returns to the UK, as part of a world-wide tour. The show is Directed by Christopher Luscombe.
From the start there’s a nod to the world of cinema, the sexy usherette and ice cream seller Roxy, introducing the show in song (Science Fiction/Double Feature), and setting the scene, whilst welcoming you to the show. The set is a mix of B movie horror and cartoon images, with more than a nod to the classic Hammer films of the 1940s.
The plot is helped along with explanations, side quips and double entendres by The Narrator (Philip Franks), who had a very warm welcome from Nottingham!
So our two squeaky clean college sweethearts Brad (Ore Oduba) and Janet (Hayley Flaherty) are on the way back from a friend’s wedding on their way to visit Dr Scott (Joe Allen) their former science tutor (with a dark past) when, oh no…they hit a thunderstorm and their car breaks down. They see a castle where they go to use the telephone to call for help. This is where the dark, crossdressing fun begins!
The pair are taken by Riff Raff (Kristian Lavercombe) the creepy hunch backed live-in butler into the laboratory, where they are relieved of their clothes, so that they can dry off and given lab coats to wear! Cue lights, smoke, stars in their eyes entry … for our very own “Sweet Transvestite from Transexual Transylvania“, Frank (wonderfully played by Stephen Webb).
Brad and Janet are nicely underplayed and contrast with the high camp of the other inhabitants of the castle .
The story moves along at quite a lick with high camp renderings of the iconic songs; Let’s Do The Time Warp Again; Damn It, Janet and Sweet Transvestite. The audience, many splendidly dressed up for the evening singing along and ad-libbing to the story and the songs.
All in all a fast paced evening of high camp, crossdressing, knowing looks, catchy tunes and sexy energetic dance routines. A great evening’s entertainment, go see it!