Rocky Horror Show

Rocky Horror Show

A joy to see a signing interpreter bring so much energy and flair to the stage

I love The Rocky Horror Show, and the movie. And while I would usually avoid comparing casts and productions, I find that when a show becomes a cult classic, comparisons feel inevitable perhaps even necessary.

First, a well-deserved shout-out to the signing interpreter for this performance. I regret not catching his name, but he was phenomenal. Dressed in a red bow tie, matching belt and a lace shirt, enough flair to show character without distracting from the main stage, he added such joy and presence. You could just tell he loves what he does. Even when navigating some of the script’s stranger moments, his energy and clarity were a joy to watch.

Jason Donovan plays Frank-N-Furter. We love Jason, he’s a national treasure, and as part of the Commonwealth, I think we’re allowed to say that. While I can’t fault his performance in isolation, the overall direction by Christopher Luscombe didn’t sit right with me. Years ago, I saw Jason play Mitzi in Priscilla, a bold, vibrant role and I think that kind of energy would have worked beautifully here. Instead, this Frank felt slowed down, with brief bursts of energy that leaned more towards Bernadette. The similarities don’t end there. Jason had natural looking light brown, long hair, and while he delivered Sweet Transvestite with confidence, the character’s traditional drag stylings felt notably absent. I was especially disappointed that the “Antici…pation” line wasn’t held longer. That moment is iconic, it deserves its beat.

In another key scene, when Rocky meets the rest of the characters and they each say hello, it’s usual for Rocky to mimic their voices and tones, leading to laughter. Here, we just got a series of flat greetings, followed by the same laughter from the characters, which felt unearned.

The narrator in our performance was Nathan Caton. Again, I found myself uneasy with the direction. At one point, he fist-bumped cast members, and the show was peppered with “ad-libs” that seemed anything but spontaneous. Many of them felt rehearsed, stale, and even awkward. There was a reference to the “hawk tuh” internet trend, which might’ve been timely at the start of the last leg of the tour in 2021 but now feels outdated four years later. I scoured the programme and could only find Richard O’Brien credited as writer, but I truly can’t believe he’s responsible for these additions. We were bombarded with political jokes about Trump, crude references, race jokes, and even a “your mum” retort to an audience member.

Caton’s accent also wavered, mostly London with moments of trying to sound posher, which, combined with his delivery, made me curious about his training. It turns out he’s a comedian. Perhaps that’s why the lines felt so dry, it must be painful for a comic to deliver material that’s so weak. During the interval, I overheard a couple questioning reasons why he was cast.

There was also an uncomfortable moment when jokes were made about how the interpreter might sign certain words, edging more towards vulgar and harassment than funny.

The classic call-and-response aspect of the show felt uneven. Sometimes the cast paused for audience shout-outs, other times they barrelled through. Caton would often repeat what the audience had said or launch into conversation when a simple raised eyebrow would have sufficed. At one point, an audience member made a joke referencing the film, and Caton paused the show to make clear he wasn’t the same actor an odd moment, though at least it seemed unscripted.

This sense of unevenness filtered through to the rest of the cast. Instead of fully realised characters, they often felt more like a chorus of supporting artistes. Even Frank’s final moment of redemption lacked impact. The poignant line, “they always liked you,” felt wasted, we just hadn’t connected with the characters enough for it to land.

Photo Credit – David Freeman