On June the 16th, it will be 43 years since the first performance of The Rocky Horror Show. Although the show has massive worldwide success now, it had humble beginnings.
It started showing in a theatre which had a capacity of around just 85. Richard O' Brien started to write the show out of boredom, and to keep himself occupied on winter evenings. O'Brien had a fascination with B horror movies, and how purely ridiculous their storylines are. He also loved the classic rockabilly style of the 1950's, and if you listen carefully to the songs in the show, lots of them are based around 3 or 4 chord patterns used in early rock and roll. O'Brien found himself a director in Jim Sharman, a performance space upstairs at the Royal Court, he just needed a ridiculous cast for his ridiculous plot.
The original cast included:
Tim Curry (Dr Frank N Furter)
Patricia Quinn (Magenta)
Nell Campbell a.k.a Little Nell (Columbia)
Belinda Sinclair (Janet Weiss)
Christopher Malcolm (Brad Majors)
After the first run at The Royal Court, the show skipped around various theatres in London, upping in capacity each time. The show eventually finished its first time in London in September, 1980.
Since this original production, the show has been all around the world, both on tours and in permanent locations. Wherever you are in the world, you can celebrate the birthday of Rocky Horror!
"I'm just 7 hours old, truly beautiful to behold."
If you live in or near Wolverhampton, you're in for a treat! The UK tour is running there, and the performance on the Thursday is the one on the anniversary. The performance is also a signed performance (in BSL) so everyone can get involved. Quick, grab your tickets now!
If you don't have a ticket to the show on Thursday, there's more ways to celebrate. There's a recent live version of the show on YouTube that me and many other RHS fanatics have watched at least 100 times. It's wonderful quality, and the interval and pre show includes interviews from Richard O'Brien.
The live show came before the film, but it's not as accessible. Therefore, if you just want to just watch the film in the comfort of your own home, screaming things at it, you're fully supported. There's also a drinking game that me and my friends created if you want to try it. Just remember to drink responsibly, and shout out your best 'Describe your balls!'
So don your party hat, sing Happy Birthday, and celebrate the 43rd year of The Rocky Horror Show!
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