Rocky Horror Show (UK Tour), New Victoria Theatre | Review

Rocky Horror Show (UK Tour) 

New Victoria Theatre 

Reviewed on Monday 4th March 2019 by Louise Jordan

★★★★★

Over 30 million people have watched the Rocky Horror Picture Show live. I was one of them, thirty years ago. Would this version capture the energy, naughtiness and sheer exuberance of my previous experience, or Richard O’Brien’s cult film? The answer is abso-jolly-lutely. What a treat!

I could explain the plot in detail, but frankly it doesn’t really matter. In a nutshell Brad (Ben Adams) and Janet (Joanne Clifton), American squeaky clean and newly engaged college students, break down one night and seek shelter. They stumble across Dr Frank-N-Furter’s (Stephen Webb) castle, where he is unveiling his newest creation, Rocky (Callum Evans). A certain amount of, ahem, intimacy occurs all round (the warnings of adult themes are justified – don’t take your granny unless she’s especially broad minded). Enter stage left Dr Everett Scott (Ross Chisari) looking for his son Eddie and tada, we discover that Frank is an alien transvestite from the planet Transsexual. Are you any wiser? Thought not. But you don’t go to the Rocky Horror Picture Show for the plot. You go for the experience and the singalong joy of it – the entire audience is on their feet for ‘Sweet Transvestite’. The show is clearly held in enormous affection by its devoted audience and Dom Joly as narrator interacts brilliantly with the barrage of comments that punctuate his every appearance on stage.

The acting, singing and dancing are flawless, and the staging slick in this ensemble production of all round strong performances. The chemistry and timing between actors ensures the pace never dips from start to finish.

If you live in or near Woking, you’ve got a week to catch this show and leave behind the pressures of real life for a night. And if – man, woman or non-binary – you want to dust down your bustier and fishnets for the night, who am I to judge?

Rocky Horror runs at the New Victoria Theatre until 9th March before continuing its tour

photo credit: David Freeman