Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show

The original Australian cast members held a reunion prior to the Sydney opening and shared war stories. We heard that when The Rocky Horror Show opened in 1974 the venue was a genuine scary old building with real life rats running around. The show has moved from a crumbling ruin forty years ago to the sparkling Lyric Theatre in 2015.

An original cast member also confided to me ‘that in our day’ they had a long raw script to work with and had the scope to develop the characters. Whereas (he regretted) that today’s version is a pared down glitzy adaptation which references the movie too much. At forty-five minutes for the first act it is on the breezy side.  

Bert Newtown is a welcome addition to the crew as the narrator. Having seen the opening in Brisbane, Bert adds a layer of humour and comfort to the production. The veteran live television performer had to spar with a heckler who interrupted him and other members of the cast.

“And now we come to end of the show” – “like your career” – came from the audience “ at least I’m up here” he retorted or words to that effect.

Also new to the cast were Amy Lehpamer as Janet and Stephen Mahy as Brad.  The young virgins were cute enough. The thought did cross my mind was how did Amy’s studies at University in Violin, English literature and  Japanese prepare her to strut across the stage in knickers!

In fine voice as Riff Raff was Kristian Lavercome who gave the audience multiple shivering blasts.

Craig McLachlan has been stomping around in those high heels as Dr Frank-N-Furter for such a long time that he actually looks comfortable in them. He was a very sweet transvestite.

I have to say that there was a fraction too much milking of adulation   and he squeezed a few too many awkward sight gags in the bedroom scene for my liking. A bit more of the dark side would have been more pleasing.

But The Rocky Horror Show remains a very entertaining night out, with some great rock songs and a second act that makes no sense.

David Spicer

As a 20-year-old university student in 1974, for a time The Rocky Horror Show was indeed my ‘favourite obsession’. I bought student rush tickets on 17 different occasions to see the show in the run-down, yet aptly atmospheric New Art Cinema (later the Valhalla, now converted into apartments) in Glebe.

It’s a very different experience now, seated in a comfortable commercial theatre, but I was very definitely ready to warp those 41 years and do the Time Warp again, on a thoroughly enjoyable nostalgia trip.

A tremendous new cast, led by Craig McLachlan, delivers a high energy rock’n’roll treat.

Neil Litchfield

Image: Amy Lehpamer, Stephen Mahy and Craig McLachlan. Photographer: Brian Geach

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