With the camp, cult classic The Rocky Horror Show making a welcome return to Storyhouse following its original visit in 2019, writer Paul Crofts went along once again to join in the fun.
Having seen The Rocky Horror Show at Storyhouse back in 2019, I was certainly looking forward to seeing it again, not least because of the feelgood factor it creates even before curtain up.
Arriving at Storyhouse, there was already a party atmosphere with audience members milling around the bar area, many in full costume. It’s clear that many of the audience were diehard fans and they had gone to great lengths to faithfully recreate the costumes of their favourite characters.
I’ve never seen so many guys in black fishnet stockings and high heels!
It’s hard to believe that this show created by Richard O’Brien is now 50 years old. If the fans in Chester were anything to go by, the show will run and run and it’s easy to see why.
Directed by Christopher Luscombe, the show is an absolute riot of escapism from start to finish, something much needed in these tough times. And there are some hilariously topical and even local references, thanks to the quick witted interjections by former Darling Buds of May and Heartbeat star Philip Franks as the Narrator, who coped effortlessly with the responses to lines being shouted out by the enthusiastic audience.
It’s all part of fun, once you get used to it.
The atmosphere in the theatre was electric and there was a roar of appreciation as the curtain rose on this campfest of a musical. Hayley Flaherty shines as the naive but ultimately lustful Janet, opposite the excellent Richard Meek as Brad, as a whole new world of sexual possibilities open up before them both thanks to the formidable presence of ‘sweet Transexual’ Frank N Furter, played by Stephen Webb.
He struts and preens his way around the stage, the audience lapping up his every suggestive move. Two stand outs for me were Kristian Lavercombe who has clocked up over 2000 performances as Riff Raff, more than filling O’Brien’s shoes as Frank’s servant and Ben Westhead as Rocky, trading the iconic gold hot pants of the film for leopard print but equally skin tight.
There were some impressive vocals from the cast and the live band, directed by Charlie Ingles, did a stellar job, perched on a gantry at the back of the fantastical set. The show features all the iconic numbers from the film including the legendary Timewarp, which got the audience up on their feet, singing, dancing those obligatory dance moves and roaring their approval at the end like nothing I’ve ever heard before.
There are fans and then there are fans! Rocky Horror certainly has a loyal, loud and enthusiastic fan base.
The show is a rip-roaring fast-paced celebration of camp, a bonkers homage to the sci-fi and horror movies of the 1950s and sheer unadulterated fun.
We give The Rocky Horror Show a Timewarptastic 5 stars!
I'm a writer, journalist and blogger, as well as the founder and editor of culture webzine wearechester.co.uk. I'm also a university lecturer in journalism and media communications and a radio presenter for hire.
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