Rocky Horror Show ★★★★ Dominion Theatre | September 6 - 20, 2024


The show may not be as transgressive now as it was about 50 years ago, when the film, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, first came out, but it is still a great trip. From the moment we join innocents, Brad and Janet, on their accidental journey into Frank N Furter's pleasure palace we become part of a shared experience with an audience that usually gleefully shouts out commentary on the couple's experiences and enthusiastically sings along to great earworms like "Sweet Transvestite" and "Over at the Frankenstein Place." And, of course, everyone has to do "The Time Warp." This time out Connor Carson and Lauren Chia do a fine job as the naïve, young couple who stumble into a world of questionable pastimes and forbidden pleasures. As the Narrator, Maawan Rizwan, doesn't ad-lib as much as we've seen in the past, but he clearly enjoys his interactions with the audience. Edward Bullingham nails his role as Eddie with his suitably wild rock 'n' roll number, and, as Rocky, Morgan Jackson proves that he is not only muscly and surprisingly limber. He can sing too. Kudos to Job Greuter for a suitably grotesque Riff Raff and Natasha Hoeberigs produces some nice vocal work in her dual roles of Usherette/Magenta. However, the evening belongs to Jason Donovan whose Frank N Furter manages to command the stage whenever he is on it. He is alternately raunchy, menacing and sympathetic in this rollercoaster of an evening. It is a high-energy performance that defines the show. And, if you've ever wondered about the enduring appeal of this cult classic, the current production should definitely answer that question! Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show is a manically delightful evening in the theatre.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Daniel Boud

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