Rocky Horror Show at Dominion Theatre
50 years on from its original debut, Rocky Horror Show returns again, not with a whimper but with a bang.
Brad and Janet get a flat tyre during a storm and seek refuge in a nearby castle. That’s about where the sanity ends, if there ever was any. They’re greeted by a cast of colourful characters, including their host, a hyper-sexual transvestite alien who is creating a man in his lab to be his new plaything.
It’s a crazy, sexy, spoofy musical that is still hilarious from start to finish even all these years later – and has a soundtrack full of absolute bangers like Time Warp and Hot Patootie.
An instant cult classic in the 1970s, going from a tiny 60-seat venue to a global phenomenon, with a movie adaptation in just a couple of years, Rocky Horror Show flew the flag for queer culture at a time when representation was sorely lacking and sorely desired. And while it is maybe not all that unique in that mission today, or particularly edgy or sexual by today’s standards, it has created 50 years of adoring fans who will follow it anywhere.
Jason Donovan stars as Frank-N-Furter to rapturous applause, immediately embodying the role, while Mawaan Rizwan is brilliantly funny as the Narrator. Perhaps the only thing funnier is the audience who fully embrace participation to yell out all the classic responses, often very rude and often very funny.
The staging at the Dominion takes the show to a whole new level. The lighting in particular is out of this world and keeps finding new ways throughout the show to wow the auditorium.
For those who have never experienced the delights of Rocky Horror Show, take the chance now. Any performance of this scantily clad musical will likely be unforgettable – but this cast does it particularly well.
Jim Compton-Hall
Photos: David Freeman
Rocky Horror Show is at Dominion Theatre from 6th until 20th September 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.
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