The Rocky Horror Show, Monday 21st November, The Other Room. Reviewer: Rachel Nurse
The Rocky Horror Show is one of the most iconic musical theatre shows, performed each year around the globe and is seen by thousands, maybe even millions. Yet, it still never fails to amuse me and it was an outstanding show by all the cast members at the New Theatre on Monday. The Rocky Horror Show is endlessly on the road and the Cardiff audience continuously show their pleasant Welsh hospitality whenever the theatre welcomes a new production. Philip Franks, the narrator, acknowledged this when a women shouted out, ÔÇ£a blow jobÔÇØ, when he mentioned the hospitality of FrankÔÇÖs castle: ÔÇ£Kind Welsh hospitality, the New Theatre is showing the Christmas Carol soon if you want to give a giftÔÇØ and suggested that she should meet the gentleman who shouted ÔÇ£hornyÔÇØ in the stalls. Maybe they would meet in the interval? After all, anything can happen while watching The Rocky Horror Show.
I have seen The Rocky Horror Show many times: on the stage, the film and even various YouTube adaptions. I can honourably say this performance at the New Theatre was even better than when I saw it in February at the New Theatre. Amazingly – I did not believe this was even possible! All of the original cast played their roles, other than Riff Raff and Columbia who were played by understudies Will Knights and Lauren Ingram. If they hadn’t told us they were played by understudies, I would still have no idea! No one failed to impress the audience, but the actors who stood out most for me were Dominic Andersen, as Rocky, and Kay Murphy, as the seductive Magenta. Andersen was smooth and well-fitted to play Rocky with the perfect combination of charm and sarcasm, while Murphy was classy and sassy whilst being the sauciest character on the stage. Kay Murphy’s role as Magenta in my opinion was even better than Patricia Quinn in the 1975 movie.
Dr Frank-N-Furter, played by Liam Tamne effortlessly re-enacted the humorous sensual character. With the viewers roaring every single time he arose on stage – and oh how he rose to the occasion! – especially when he was getting erotic with Brad and Janet in their spare bedrooms, that unforgettable night in the castle where they just wanted to borrow their phone to get home.
The level of commitment from the audience towards The Rocky Horror Show was overwhelming as can be expected from this production. The costumes were out of this world, and I was completely transported to Transylvania (ÔÇ£A sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania.ÔÇØ)! The audience were dressed in sexy lingerie and corsets, men and the women alike. The dress code is be as voluptuous as you can be and rock it! In the Rocky Horror universe, Transylvania is a galaxy, far awat from Earth, from which odd-looking, sexually-free aliens who love to party visit. Every other time I have seen the show, I have dressed up like Columbia, a phantom or Janet. Next time I will dress up as Frank, or even Rocky. I cannot wait to put my stockings back on and transcend into a different world.
One hundred percent recommended! 5/5
by Rachel Nurse