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CORSETS AND RIPPED FISHNETS ARE GO!
IT ALL BEGAN IN 1973 WHEN ONE MAN UNLEASHED HIS IMAGINATION TO WRITE A WONDERFULLY FUN CAMPY TRIBUTE TO B-GRADE SCIENCE FICTION AND HORROR FLICKS.
It was Richard O’Brien’s love for low-budget genre films that was the driving force as his musical vision took shape, with catchy tunes and flamboyant characters written with a liberating spirit that celebrated nonconformity and diversity. The Rocky Horror Show first debuted in London’s West End, captivating audiences with its fusion of fun, rock‘n’roll, sci-fi, and unabashed sexuality and queerness.
After only two years on stage, The Rocky Horror Show received the silver screen treatment. The film adaptation, called The Rocky Horror Picture Show, was released by 20th Century Fox in 1975 and featured writer O’Brien himself as the mischievous Riff Raff.
Like most cult classics, the film’s release received mixed reviews from critics and was largely considered a flop; but despite this, its unique blend of drag, humour and musical extravagance saw the movie quickly become a worldwide cultural phenomenon with a huge fan base of enthusiastic participants.
By Alexander Thatcher
Audiences began flocking to late night showings, dressing up as their favourite characters and embracing the interactive nature of the experience. The film also proved popular with queer fans and created a sense of community that allowed moviegoers to connect with the film’s themes of self-expression, sexual liberation and embracing one’s inner queerness.
In a 2020 interview with the BBC, Larry Viezel, president of The Rocky Horror Picture Show Official Fan Club, a man who takes his responsibility very seriously, said:
“I KNOW OF A LOT OF PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES WERE SAVED BY THIS MOVIE. ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE IN THE LGBTIQ+ COMMUNITY, IT’S A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN BE THEMSELVES AND FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE THEIR FAMILY.” alive.
At the heart of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the compelling tale of Brad and Janet, whose lives take a wild turn when they stumble upon the strange mansion of Dr Frank-N-Furter, played by the legendary Tim Curry. Frank-N-Furter reigns as the ‘sweet transvestite’ from planet Transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania, orchestrating a bizarre and seductive spectacle that challenges societal norms.
The musical numbers have become loved classics, with iconic tunes like “Time Warp” and “Sweet Transvestite” that have swept into the pop culture consciousness. The musical’s infectious energy, outrageous costumes, and campy performances have created an unforgettable experience that have invited audiences to dance, sing and embrace their inner and fabulous weirdness.
A testament to unconventional storytelling, The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s themes of self-acceptance, gender and sexual exploration is a true celebration of individuality and what it means to be yourself.
2023 MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW AND TO CELEBRATE, A NEW PRODUCTION IS TOURING THE COUNTRY THAT IS GUARANTEED TO THRILL AUDIENCES EVERYWHERE.
Featuring three-time Olivier Award-winning star David Bedella as everyone’s favourite gender-bending alien scientist Dr Frank-N-Furter. In this cult classic, naive sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of the coercive and hypersexual Frank-N-Furter. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy handyman after revenge. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named ‘Rocky’.
Over thirty million people worldwide have seen O’Brien’s enduring classic, with performances in over 30 countries, cementing its standing as the world’s most loved cult classic rock musical.
By David Blanco