Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show has a long and illustrious (if very tawdry) performance history. The sheer weight of the calibre of actors and actresses who have embodied the quirky, albeit exceptionally odd, array of characters over the years us enough to make any theatre-goer stop in awe.
The impressive line-up can often prove a burden to bear, or a mark to reach for new casts- and makes finding original ways to make the musical’s jokes, now practically written into the cultural miasma, relevant and witty in their new context.
The Adelaide Festival found a gem hidden in the most unlikely place- a show that is already world famous many times over. One of the ways in which they succeeded was in convincing Craig McLachlan to reprise his role as Dr. Frank N. Furter, which he played 40 years ago to the delight and scandal of audiences in the 1970’s- which proves no different now.
McLachlan was the clear stand out in this production, using his excellent timing and physical comedy to navigate his own portrayal of the Doctor in ways utterly new and hilarious, drawing in the already captive audience.
The Adelaide Festival’s production also came with another surprise for this leg of it’s Australian season- the Narrator was voiced and played by Richard O’Brien- the revered creator of Rocky Horror and the original Riff Raff in the 1974 film.
The cast were incredible- transporting the audience to the very weird and musically capable world of Rocky Horror, giving the characters integrity, whilst also translating them for a modern Australian audience.
The music was sensational, and the performance ended with not one, but several standing ovations, and many sing-a-long encores from the cast.
This performance of Rocky Horror was everything it should be- bizarre, shocking, outrageously funny, cheeky to boot. Sensationally acted and directed, the Adelaide Festival’s Rocky Horror could not come more highly recommended.
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