Jason Donovan gives a mind flip in another dimension
The Rocky Horror Picture Show celebrates 50 years
As Jason Donovan was belting out “The Wheels of the Bus” with Patsy Biscoe vibes and tackling his fifth birthday cake, over in London, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was busy throwing the theatre scene a curveball. Picture this: Richard O’Brien piecing together this wild ride, tipping his hat to those campy B-movies from the golden age of sci-fi and horror. Yeah, we’re talking a throwback crafted half a century ago.
The Rocky Horror Picture show was a sizzling hot mess
Back in the day, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was the ultimate cheeky mixtape, a sizzling hot mess for anyone who fancied a walk on the wild side. Watching Frank N. Furter morph from underground icon to everyone’s fave mainstream mischief-maker must’ve been a trip for the OG fans. Despite its evolution from edgy to essential, the soundtrack still slaps, the performances are as sparkly as ever, and let’s not even start on the red-carpet glam.
Jason Donovan owns the role of Frank N Furter
Enter stage left: Jason Donovan, not just making an appearance but totally owning the spotlight. Fresh from his stint as the fab transvestite last year, Donovan’s no newbie to the musical theatre gig. From his debut in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat” to killer roles in “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” and “Grease The Musical,” he’s brought a whole lot of flair to Frank N. Furter, channeling Tim Curry vibes like nobody’s business. UK fans, brace yourselves: he’s hitting up Fareham Live this October for “Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show” in an 800-seater that’s ready to rock.
Henry Rollo as Riff Raff
But hey, it’s not all the Jason Donovan show. Henry Rollo as Riff Raff stole the scene so hard, you’d think O’Brien would be green with envy. And then there’s the dynamic duo, Blake Bowden and Deidre Khoo as Brad and Janet, lighting up the stage. Khoo’s take on “Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-me” was all kinds of playful and sexy, nailing the vibe of the track.
Dylan Alcott as the narrator flipped the script
Dylan Alcott as the narrator flipped the script, ditching the usual aloofness for a laid-back charm that had him vibing with the audience and dishing out zingers like a pro.
Daniel Erbarcher as Rocky
Can’t forget Daniel Erbarcher, who gave the movie version of Rocky a run for his money, flexing both his muscles and acting chops in a way that was nothing short of mesmerizing. And against all odds, Ellis Dolan’s Eddie (and his swift swap to Dr. Scott) was a double act that paid homage yet felt totally fresh.
Shoutout to the crew too. Nick Richings’ lighting wizardry and Andrew Bevis leading the band turned the production into something out of this world, with a soundtrack that was electric and totally on point.
This “Rocky Horror” revival? It’s like they took the original, added a pinch of extra freedom and a dash of professionalism, and whipped up something that’s both impeccably tight and gloriously unhinged.
Australia’s last chance to see Jason Donovan live on stage in the role of Frank N Furter and Dylan Alcott as the Narrator March 31 – April17 and Pete Helliar April 18 – May 5.
Venue: the Theatre Royale. Tickets visit here
