THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW - THEATRE REVIEW

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW AT THE WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE

Theatre Run: Monday 28 October - Saturday 2 November

Performance Viewed: Monday 28 October (Press Night)

Reviewed by Kyle Pedley

I had the pleasure of first reviewing this current touring production of The Rocky Horror Show in Birmingham back in January this year, and it was with very welcome open arms (and thrusting hips) that I welcomed it back to the Midlands as the show finds itself at home at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre over Halloween. The show remains fundamentally the same, bar a few incremental changes to some of the set pieces and musical number staging, and Henry Davis’ Rocky is given an injection of youthful naivete blended with a dash of vitriol over predecessor Rhydian’s more mindless interpretation, but essentially all that made the same tour so irrepressibly entertaining, gloriously mischievous and wholly recommendable earlier in the year continues to ring true.

ROCKY HORROR SHOW - THEATRE REVIEW

ROCKY HORROR SHOW AT THE NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM

Theatre Run: Monday 28 January - Saturday 2 February 2013
Performance Viewed: Monday 28 January (Press Night)

Reviewed by Kyle Pedley

There are very few, if any, theatre (and film) productions which foster such a frenzy of audience interaction and anticipation than the Rocky Horror name, and it’s a thrill to see that 40 years later, as the stage show once again goes on tour to celebrate the milestone that it has lost none of this excitement and fervour. With almost as much spectacle and entertainment from the audience as the show itself, newcomers and veterans alike will find themselves having an inimitable, incomparable theatre experience. 

Whilst its plot remains as brilliantly postmodern and obtuse as ever, the soundtrack is the real draw and still holds up as strong as ever, with such eclectic favourites as ‘The Timewarp’, ‘Sweet Transvestite’ and ‘Hot Patootie’ genuinely getting the audience to their feet and being delivered by a cast and company on fine form. Ben Forster, recent winner of ITV’s Superstar and Roxanne Pallett of Emmerdale fame make a fitting Brad and Janet, with Forster in particular benefiting from the inclusion of Brad-centric solo ‘Once in a while’ which was omitted from the movie and some stage productions but is a welcome moment of pause amongst the second act madness to once again ground the central relationship, and a number which Forster nails both emotionally and vocally. Pallett sells the mousey, naive, wholesome Janet of the outset well, but really comes into her own as the character transforms into a belting, sultry siren, exuding confidence, presence and raw sex appeal that even Susan Sarandon’s definitive Janet of the movie couldn’t quite reach.