The Rocky Horror Show
had the audience enthralled throughout and moved at a great pace. Its schlocky,
WTF anarchy has not lost any of its glittery appeal. (Review by Shannon Kenny)
Pics by Val Adamson
Spectacular! Spectacular!
Kickstart’s The Rocky Horror Show opened at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre to a festive, expectant audience of theatre-goers, dressed up (Well done, Durban – check out the socials) all ready for a good time, in one of my favourite theatres.
The Rocky Horror Show cast, band and production team served their audience spectacularly, with sterling, full-throttle performances, consummate musicianship and production value of the highest quality. Direction, Performances, Choreography, Musical Direction and a live band; Lighting Design, Costume Design, Sound Design, Set Design all combined to give the audience all - and more than - what they expected.
The Rocky Horror Show first came to the stage in 1973 before at least half of us in the opening night audience were born - and Richard Obrien’s glitter-strewn, glam-rock, science-fiction horror pastiche only seems to attract new fans, decade after decade.
(Right: Bryan Hiles, Keryn Lynne Scott & Tshepo Ncokoane)
It is the bizarre tale of normie fiancé’s, Brad (Bryan Hiles) and Janet (Keryn Lynne Scott) and their (mis)adventures when they are forced to seek shelter at an old castle after their car breaks down in a storm.
Their encounter with Frank-N-Furter (Tshepo Ncokoane), the pansexual "sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania" and his minions is transformative for our hapless couple, sending them down untraversed roads of the body and mind.
There’s murder, mayhem, concupiscence, scheming and alien insurrection. I did say it is a bizarre tale.
Our Usherette played by Belinda Henwood does a fabulous
rendition of the introductory song, Science-Fiction
Double Feature before the curtain lifts to reveal Brad and Janet, bidding
their newly-married friends farewell. There were gasps of awe at Greg King’s
truly spectacular set (Am I allowed to say I fell in love with Brad and Janet’s
car?) - and there would be more throughout the evening.
(Above: Keryn Lynne Scott & Bryan Hiles battle the car’s behaviour)
Perfectly cast, Hiles and Scott are all wholesome lovey-doveyness in Dammit Janet before they set off to visit their former science tutor, Dr Everitt Scott.
Michael Gritten is our sage-like Narrator, the consummate straight-man, who expertly guides us through this crazy caper.
Over at the
Frankenstein Place is a delightfully eerie number, perfectly prefacing our
couple’s “welcome” to the castle by butler, Riff Raff (Shoeman Smit), maid,
Magenta (Belinda Henwood) and groupie, Columbia (Kaylee McIlroy). Smit’s
Nosferatu-esque Riff Raff is suitably creepy and sneering. Henwood’s Magenta is
hilariously histrionic; and McIlroy brings to her Columbia a simmering fragility
beneath a façade of effervescence.
The show’s signature dance number Time Warp is performed with ENERGY by the cast - and here I have to mention our Phantoms: Blessing Xaba, Roshanda Lewis, Amahle Tembe and Carl Oosthuizen, who are a solid, supportive presence to our leads in every scene throughout the show.
At the point Brad and Janet want to flee, they are apprehended/persuaded by Frank-N-Furter’s raunchy Sweet Transvestite and invited to his lab.
Ncokoane was made for this role - a gargantuan talent, with legs for days and a vocal virtuosity that effortlessly presented the audience with gem after gem.
(Right: Will Young)
Frank-N-Furter reveals his masterpiece: the bronzed, muscle-bound Rocky (Will Young). Young does a fine job of voicing Rocky’s apprehensions in The Sword of Damocles and with focus and discipline maintains his “innocent beefcake” persona throughout.
The chest freezer in the lab is opened and, much to Frank’s horror, reveals Eddie, a delivery guy, Columbia’s former lover and original owner of one half of Rocky’s brain. (Yes, more bizarre)
Lyle Buxton, who plays Eddie, delivers a Hot Patootie that is a fun, energetic and wonderfully funny number.
The chain-saw scene that follows was remarkable for Columbia’s utter horror and devastation, expressed so poignantly in McIlroy’s anguished, searing wail.
Act 2 sees Frank-N-Furter encouraging/coercing Brad and Janet to seek out new pleasures - to their horror and eventual delight, though not without complications.
A paraplegic Dr Scott (Lyle Buxton) comes to the castle in search of his nephew, Eddie - yes, he of the unfortunate end(s).
There’s an orgy Don’t Dream it - Be it because, well Frank wants one.
Frank and his castle-dwelling minions are revealed to be aliens from outer space.
Siblings Riff Raff and Magenta stage an insurrection (there’s ray-gun murder) and the Earthlings are left confused and conflicted by their encounter with the aliens.
During the reprise of Science-Fiction Double Feature at close of show, I couldn’t help but muse on how we were being sent into our own bizarre IRL, where some actual earthlings seem stranger than the aliens we left on the Sneddon theatre stage.
Steven Stead has pulled off another remarkable show, harnessing the talents of a fantastic creative team who cannot go unmentioned: Evan Roberts (Musical Director/keyboards) and band; Simone Mann (Choreographer); Greg King (Set Designer); Terrence Bray (Costume Designer), Early Whitfield (Lighting Designer); Brandon Bunyan (Sound Design). Kudos and Bravo! Richard O’Brien would be thrilled with what you’ve produced!
The Rocky Horror Show had the audience enthralled throughout and moved at a great pace. Its schlocky, WTF anarchy has not lost any of its glittery appeal. – Shannon Kenny
NB: Unless you’re prepared to do a looooot of explaining, please do heed the” no under 14s” age restriction.
The Rocky Horror Show runs at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in Durban until October 12. Performances – 19h30 Tuesday to Saturday, 14h30 on Saturday, and 18h00 on Sunday. Booking for all performances is through Webtickets. (no under 14s allowed)
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