In the small town of Denton, Ohio, two kids get engaged. To celebrate, they decide to go and meet the man who put them together in the first place. However, a storm hits and the car tyre is flattened on the way. The couple decide to go and get help at a nearby castle, but help is the last thing they get. They're subjected to the creation of a man, anal with an alien, and a floor show in an empty house.
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| Ouch |
This sounds like a bad horror movie, doesn't it? Well guess what, it's meant to.
The Rocky Horror (Picture) Show is a complete spoof of a horror movie. It's the opposite to Priscilla (which was the first piece in the Inspirations series.) Priscilla was a film to begin with, then was turned into a musical after the success of the film.
In 1973, Rocky Horror began as a musical show upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre, which has a capacity of 90. That's right, 90, a minuscule number for a show that is now so successful. However, I think that the small capacity of the theatre contributed to the overall success, because people just wanted to come back time and time again. The musical has received such a separate success to the film, and has been on 10 tour runs around the UK.
Someone that has to receive an immense amount of credit in this is Kristian Lavercombe, who has played Riff Raff in almost 1000 performances of the show. Night after night, he performs to an amazing ability, Time Warping again and again. Someone who I also have to massively credit is Liam Tamne. He's playing Frank N Furter on this tour, and is doing an amazing job. Frank is a role which an audience can either love or hate. They're usually so expectant on the Frank, expecting him to be funny, and sexual, and a great singer. Liam totally goes above and beyond everyone's expectations. He's hilarious, handsome (pretty?) and insanely talented. It's not often that I cry at live performances, but Liam's version of I'm Going Home was just pure talent pouring out of him,that made my false eyelashes fall off.
Richard O' Brien, the creator of both the musical and the film was to star in it, playing Riff Raff (a handyman). Tim Curry took the role of Frank (a scientist), and Patricia Quinn and Nell Campbell who were also both in the original stage show took the roles of Magenta (a domestic) and Columbia (a groupie). Susan Sarandon played Janet Weiss (a heroine) and Barry Botswick took on the role of Brad Majors (a hero). Although Peter Hinwood plays Rocky (a creation) in the film, he doesn't do any of the singing on the soundtrack.
Rocky at 40
This film and these characters are the things that keep the film alive today. It's always been in some theatre in the world since the day of its release. It has a cult following of people who go along to the show dressed as characters, and they shout out and throw things at the screen (I'm one of these people). The film really was the main event for a long time, but recently, the live show has begun to catch up. People now go to the live show dressed up, and shout things to the stage. Some could say that it's disrespectful, however some of the actors in the show have said that they hate a silent audience. Everyone gets up and time warps, and screams at Frank when he comes out at the beginning of Sweet Transvestite. It truly is a magical show.
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| Kristian as Riff Raff. Image from kristianlavercombe.com |
The Creation
In the original cast of the musical at the Royal Court, Tim Curry played the role of Frank N Furter. He toyed about with how to play the transvestite, beginning as a German, then deciding on an American, then landing on an upper class British alien. Curry was on a bus one day in London, and heard two women from Kensington discussing whether they had a house in the town or in the country. Tim found this amusing, and decided that he'd go with a Kensington accent for Frank. The sexual character caused a storm onstage, then in 1975, a film was created of the musical.Richard O' Brien, the creator of both the musical and the film was to star in it, playing Riff Raff (a handyman). Tim Curry took the role of Frank (a scientist), and Patricia Quinn and Nell Campbell who were also both in the original stage show took the roles of Magenta (a domestic) and Columbia (a groupie). Susan Sarandon played Janet Weiss (a heroine) and Barry Botswick took on the role of Brad Majors (a hero). Although Peter Hinwood plays Rocky (a creation) in the film, he doesn't do any of the singing on the soundtrack.
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| The beautiful Tim Curry as Dr Frank N Furter |
This film and these characters are the things that keep the film alive today. It's always been in some theatre in the world since the day of its release. It has a cult following of people who go along to the show dressed as characters, and they shout out and throw things at the screen (I'm one of these people). The film really was the main event for a long time, but recently, the live show has begun to catch up. People now go to the live show dressed up, and shout things to the stage. Some could say that it's disrespectful, however some of the actors in the show have said that they hate a silent audience. Everyone gets up and time warps, and screams at Frank when he comes out at the beginning of Sweet Transvestite. It truly is a magical show.
I saw it on Wednesday the 17th of February, and went with my friends, armed with glow sticks, feather boas and feather dusters.
From left to right, there's Mollie dressed as Janet, myself dressed as Frank N Furter and Holly as Magenta.
I forced Holly to watch Rocky Horror on Halloween, and she's now obsessed.
She says:
"Since Izzy introduced me to Rocky Horror on Halloween last year, I have loved it to bits. It's weird (in a wonderful way), funny and fab to watch with friends. I absolutely adore Magenta- I love her costume and of course her amazing hair.
I highly recommend dressing up if you do see it (or even just watch the film with your friends) because it's really great to make yourself look ridiculous and time warp your heart out!"
From left to right, there's Mollie dressed as Janet, myself dressed as Frank N Furter and Holly as Magenta.
I forced Holly to watch Rocky Horror on Halloween, and she's now obsessed.
She says:
"Since Izzy introduced me to Rocky Horror on Halloween last year, I have loved it to bits. It's weird (in a wonderful way), funny and fab to watch with friends. I absolutely adore Magenta- I love her costume and of course her amazing hair.
I highly recommend dressing up if you do see it (or even just watch the film with your friends) because it's really great to make yourself look ridiculous and time warp your heart out!"
As far as inspiration goes, this film and the musical don't just inspire drag queens. They inspire everyone, as can be seen from Holly.
With a tag line of 'don't dream it, be it', anyone that's ever gone to the show; dressed up or not, anyone that's ever listened to the soundtrack, or watched the film has to be inspired in some way. It's a truly remarkable thing, with a message of expression. A message that tells anyone to express themselves, and enjoy themselves.
The show is currently touring around the UK, tickets are available here.
If you’re a virgin and you’re unsure on the etiquette of the show, the Virgin’s Guide to Rocky Horror by the TimeWarp Fanclub is here: http://www.timewarp.org.uk/1virgins.htm
Comments
The stage show has always been more popular and successful than the film in the UK, it may have begun in a small theatre but it quickly transferred to larger venues (having only been intended to run for a few weeks) and the original London production ran until 1980. It was in the US where the show struggled and where (after having failed to find an audience on its original release) the film began to gather a cult following and the audience participation developed. The audience participation and dressing up really became a part of the show in the UK in the 1980s and was a lot wilder (and sometimes dangerous) than it is today.
I should also add to the article that there's a lot more showings of the film in the US, and the idea of shadow casts is from there. The U.K tour is really great though, and I'd recommend going to see it as well as going to a screening of the film. Two totally different experiences!