Doing the Time Warp again
Image: Rocky Horror Show Australian cast 2023. Photo: Pierre Toussaint
The outrageous musical that became an unlikely world-wide phenomena celebrates its golden anniversary this year and Sydney is coming to the party with a magnificent production.
Richard O’Brien’s perennial gem, Rocky Horror Show, has indeed travelled through a space-time tunnel, stopping at regular intervals to refresh, and arriving, 50 years later, preserved in its original form yet not feeling dated.
Rocky Horror Show debuted in London in 1973, in a tiny upstairs theatre. The show was an unexpected success; it extended its season and moved to progressively larger theatres. From then on, Rocky Horror Show has been performed on a stage somewhere in the world continuously.
What makes this even more remarkable is the subversive, provocative nature of the material. It deals with themes including gender-fluidity, promiscuity, homosexuality, eroticism, and much more if you pick up a magnifying glass. There are overt depictions of sexual acts, a leaning towards hedonism, supernatural overtones, and even murder.
Writer, O’Brien, a British-New Zealander, was a bit-part actor when he wrote the musical. It is imbued with the iconography of everything he loves: sci-fi, B-grade horror films, camp, goth, glam rock, rock’n’roll, comic-book drama, and golden era Hollywood.
When a film adaptation, Rocky Horror Picture Show, came out in 1975 it quickly became a cult classic, bringing the story and music to an even wider audience and establishing the interactive protocols that are now part and parcel of any screening or show.
The Australian 50th Anniversary production of Rocky Horror Show will honour O’Brien’s original vision while giving it a fresh take.
“Rocky is truly based on the talent that comes in the room and I think that’s what makes Rocky so poignant, even for the 50th anniversary,” explains the show’s choreographer, Nathan M. Wright. “It’s still so relevant now, and I think it brings a new generation of talent every time we do it.”
Wright is one of Australia’s most esteemed and awarded creatives with a resume that’s too ridiculous to go into. He has worked on several productions of Rocky Horror Show in the UK, South Africa and Australia, including the 40th Anniversary UK production in 2013. Despite this, Wright feels inspired and excited about choreographing another new production, not least because of the outstanding abilities he sees in the cast.
“When we did the auditions, the talent that came in blew my mind,” says Wright. He went back and reworked every routine, structuring them around the potential he saw.
“I think they’re going to see a new energy that I don’t think we’ve seen before. The rehearsal room at the moment is electric, the talent is extraordinary. We have a beautiful collection of people who might not have had the opportunity to showcase their skills before. We’re obviously being led by the one and only Jason Donovan, so we have this incredible balance. I think it’s going to be electrifying!”
It’s not just the principle cast that impresses Wright; the ensemble is also incredible. It gives him a lot of creative latitude. Couple that with O’Brien’s eclectic mix of musical genres – cabaret, rock, big musical, ballads – and there is a very rich colour palette for Wright to work with.
Everything about Rocky Horror Show is bold and ostentatious – the songs, the dialogue, the costumes, the characters. The stage can sometimes feel cluttered, overwhelming.
“What’s great about our set is it’s beautiful and it’s simple,” assures Wright. “And what’s great about that is what you’re focused on is the talent and the material on the stage. When all the elements come together, it’s quite spectacular.”
Stellar Perry has been writing songs since she was 8 years old and toured Europe with her high school choir at age 14. She has been a noteworthy contestant on Star Struck, Australian Idol, X-Factor, and The Voice, and recently received rave reviews for her first venture into musical theatre, the role of Oberon in The Lovers.
For her second ever musical theatre gig, Perry will play the coveted and not shabby at all role of Magenta in Rocky Horror Show.
“For me this is easily the most exciting, biggest deal ever. This is what I feel like my life has been leading up to for twenty plus years as a performer,” says Perry. “You know, when you’re in the entertainment industry, you’re constantly sacrificing things on a personal level…and I’ve always wanted to do something that made all of those sacrifices feel like it was worth it, and for me Rocky Horror is very much that.”
Perry has a confident presence on stage and a kind sassy, punk rebelliousness in her aesthetic – not to mention a voice with the slick power and agility of a fighter jet. Magenta is right in her wheelhouse.
“I actually didn’t think that I’d find a role ever more suited to me than Oberon, but I would have to say Magenta takes the cake. I feel like I’m peaking now.”
Perry is mostly familiar with the film version of Rocky Horror, but for her audition she also studied some Broadway performances. As with any iconic role, it’s a challenge to find a balance between remaining faithful to a much-loved original while infusing it with your own style. Perry likens it to covering a well-known song.
“You don’t want to mess with anything too much but also I think everyone really appreciates a fresh take and a breath of fresh air,” she says. “The beauty of Rocky Horror is it allows and definitely encourages an element of individuality. It’s not meant to be perfect – which is perfect for people like me.”
Perry shares Wright’s sentiments about the electric energy in the rehearsal room. As someone still learning her way around a musical theatre production, Perry also feels welcome, encouraged, comfortable, even around the celebrities.
“[Jason Donovan] really is what you see is what you get…he’s down-to-earth, he’s funny, he’s old school. Myf is so, you know, very Australian. Our Australian celebrities are just so ‘of the people’ and normal.”
Myf Warhurst might be a celebrity but she, like Perry, is new to musical theatre. Also like Perry, she has felt very welcome on set.
“The crew is just so amazing. They’re all so young and vibrant, and that excitement is actually kind of palpable. It’s been a really gorgeous experience, I’m so impressed.”
In one of the most conspicuous innovations in this production, Warhurst has been cast as The Narrator, traditionally a role given to an older, white, pompous gentleman. She was approached to do the role and she had to give it some consideration before saying yes.
“I don’t have much musical theatre experience,” she explains, “but I’ve got a book – The Narrator has a book – so I can’t muck it up.”
There will still be a velour suite and an air of snobbery, but Warhurst’s Narrator will be a little bit cheeky, a bit naughty.
“Because that’s me…I’ll definitely bring a lot of myself to it. There will definitely be my very broad Australian accent – probably my broad Australian accent on its best behaviour – but I’ll definitely bring an element of that to it.”
With a background in radio, TV, and print journalism reporting on music and arts, Warhurst is well-versed with pop-culture. She became a household face on the ABC’s Spicks & Specks quiz show and gained even more kitsch kudos as co-presenter (with Joel Creasey) of the SBS Eurovision Song Contest broadcast. Rocky Horror Show takes it up another level.
“It’s just such an honour to be asked. For me, Rocky Horror played such a pivotal role in my life as a kid growing up in a small country town. For me as a contemporary music lover, I was up with all the songs. Rocky Horror was like a bridge for me to musicals,” she gushes. “It’s so exciting to be able to do something completely different at this stage in my life. That’s just amazing for me and I’m really, really grateful.”
And therein is the overarching message of Rocky Horror Show- Don’t dream it, be it.
