Rocky Horror Show, Edinburgh Playhouse****: dress up, shout out, or just enjoy the sheer spectacle
The buzz in the theatre was evident long before the curtain went up. You could tell this audience was out for a good time.
There were rounds of applause and cheers as fans dressed as Frank N Furter took their seats, while the front rows seemed to be packed with die-hard enthusiasts.
Audiences may know every word and every song lyric off by heart, but the sheer thrill of being part of the show with some glorious shouts from the stalls makes it something special - and only in Scotland could a voice yell ‘you tell him, hen’ and not get chucked out! Don’t try that at Miss Saigon or Les Mis …
This touring version is simply fabulous. Jason Donovan leads a superb cast into a vibrant, razor sharp production of a show that, 53 years since it opened, still dazzles.
Rocky is the ultimate in over the top entertainment. It is also the perfect way to kick off a new year.
Richard O’Brien’s cult classic still feels fresh and exciting, and this touring production is in the hands of a fabulous cast, superbly headed by Donovan who has made the role of Frank N Furter his own.
His Frank has a sense of a hedonistic party animal of yore, one who has seen - and done - it all, but who is still playful, sardonic, and revels in teasing the straight laced Brad (James Bisp) and Janet (Haley Flaherty). Ryan Carter-Wilson is superb as Riff Raff as is Daisy Steere as Columbia - in fact the entire cast excels throughout.
Narrator Jackie Clune is also razor sharp; more than a match for the lively audience members with some brilliant put downs and topical gags from the very start.
The Rocky songbook - from the opening Science Fiction/Double Feature through to a party central closing medley - sits in ultra safe hands with musical director, Adam Smith and his five piece band perched high above the set. Donovan’s ballad I’m Going Home did seem a little bit lost in the mix and, from memory, lacked the same impact it had a year ago, but it still ended quite beautifully and wistfully.
And this Rock Horror Show also has that essential ingredient - an audience out for a good time.
The four Frank N Furters across the aisle from me were out of their seats at the first chord of the Time Warp. They may have teetered a bit on their unfamiliar high heels, but this was their moment. I can only hope they didn’t go over on an ankle climbing the stairs to the exit…
They were also surrounded by more than a few newbies, underlining the timeless appeal of this show. Whether you dress up, shout out or simply get lost in the sheer spectacle of this unique show, it remains a must-see at least once in your life. Or twice or more …
> Rocky Horror Show is at the Edinburgh Playhouse until Saturday, January 10. Ticket info here.