The Production: The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Theatre: The Athenaeum
Stars: 3.75
Until 30 July.
My friend Alice and I bonded over two things some seventeen years ago. The Pixies and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. We are pretty tragic for both of these things. We LOVE The Pixies, and we LOVE Rocky Horror, and if either of these acts turn up in Melbourne, we're there - normally dressed up for the latter.
Over the years I've seen the following people play Frankenfurter. Skater Robin Cousins, Todd McKinney, a well renown Kiwi actor - George Henare, and of course, the best, and unfortunately now disgraced Craig MacLachlan. It's a shame about the latter as he really was the best Frank - utterly filthy, but brilliant.
I've also got distant memories of seeing Jason Donovan as Frank. He was drugged up to the armpits at the time. It was the nineties and it was in London. I was interested in seeing what 30 years, some clean living and a new staging would bring.
If I'm honest, The Comedy Theatre is the natural home of Rocky Horror. It's a bit rough and ready. The stage is large. You know you're going to have a good time. The Athenaeum has a smaller stage, a smaller audience - it's the theatre a lot of elite private schools book out for their Year 12 performances.
And it's also worth noting that I hadn't been feeling great all day - to the point that I nearly didn't go. I didn't dress up, much to Alice's chagrin. I could have thrown on some double denim and gone as Eddie. Or hunted out some Mickey Mouse ears and pyjamas and gone as Columbia, but no. Next time. There will be a next time.
So, what did I make of this new Rocky Horror Picture Show?
I can think of a few adjectives. Rushed is one of those words. Enjoyable is another, if you take away the fact that they've really sped up the action. Polished is another work.
You are given what you expect for the money you've paid. A polished night out, where the singing and dancing are great.
But it was SOOOOOO rushed. After seeing the version with Todd McKenney (after Craig McLachlan was ousted) that production was rushed as well.
But the singing and costumes were top notch. Brad and Janet, Ethan Jones and Deirdre Khoo were excellent. Riff Raff (Henry Rollo) was fanstastic, creepy and with an excellent voice. Magenta and Columbia (Darcey Eagle and Stellar Perry) were also fantastic as the two female stooges.
And Rocky (Loredo Malcolm) gave the women in the audience something to look at.
I like blind casting (where the cast are not all white). This production is on par with Australian theatre's desire to play more representative casts. Ten years ago, I could not see an Asian Janet or an African American Rocky gracing the stage. The performers were great - what more do you need?
As for Jason Donovan in this iteration - he steals the show. He's a great Frankenfurter. Great vocals, strutting around on his heels and making merry hell, every much in control. The hairy chest was the icing in the cake for me. This was his penultimate performance as Frank, the role is being taken over by another actor from Wednesday for the rest of the run. The show is then going around Australia.
If there is one issue, it's Myf Warhurst as the Narrator. Her timing was off. She was sulky. She wasn't quite up to the job. Then's the breaks. (Sean Micallef was great when he took on the role - just saying...)
In all, this is a bright, fun, rather naughty show that feels rushed.
My biggest beef of all with this was with the audience. Looking around, there were people in their 40s and 50s. We got talking to somebody outside the theatre who remembers when Reg Livermore and Daniel Albineri on stage. We Rocky Horror fans are aging.
But barely anybody was dressed up. People weren't dancing in their seats. They were sitting politely watching the performance like it as an Opera. Sitting down politely, hands folded in their laps. Cats bum puckers on their lips. The cast did mention that this is what happened on Saturday nights. My response to this is ROCKY HORROR IS NOT MEANT TO BE FUCKING POLITE. Go hard or go home!
I think I would have been happier with the evening if the audience were more rambunctious. I think the audience are getting old. Just because we're getting on in years doesn't mean you can't muck up.
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