Review: THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW at Burlington County Footlighters

The Rocky Horror Show is one of my favorite musicals of all time and having seen it in London, New York and Philadelphia, as well as attending many live screenings (with full audience participation and floor show) at the now-defunct 8th Street Playhouse in New York, I was eager to see this production from the Burlington County Footlighters.  The deliciously campy, sexy and infectious show directed by Chrissy Wick and produced by Jeanne Wayman fulfilled my expectations and will have everyone in the audience doing the Time Warp and giving themselves over to absolute pleasure.

Richard O’Brien who wrote Rocky Horror was an out-of-work actor in London when he penned this homage to B-movies, science fiction and horror films from the 1930’s to the 1960’s, a genre he loved, adding the twist on transvestitism, 1950’s rock and roll and infusing it with the glam rock style which exploded in the United Kingdom in the early 1970’s.  Under Australian director Jim Sharman, it opened in an experimental space Upstairs at The Royal Court Theatre in London in June of 1973 and starred electric Tim Curry (a peroxide blonde in the original stage version with “Bowiesque” makeup) as pansexual Dr. Frank-N-Furter.  He became an icon when he reprised his role for the 1975 film (this time with jet black hair).  Although the film initially bombed, it quickly became a midnight cult sensation where audiences talked back to the screen, beginning at New York City’s Waverly Theater in 1976, and dressed as characters and enacted scenes under the screen.

The plot is simple and yet completely zany.  During a thunderstorm, a couple of strait-laced newlyweds from Denton, Ohio, Brad and Janet, are on their way to visit Dr. Everett Scott, Brad’s former science teacher, when their car gets a flat.  They decide to walk through the rain to the castle they spotted (“Didn’t we pass a castle on the left?”) where they hope to use the phone.  There they encounter “mad” scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a “sweet transvestite” from the planet Transsexual, who is creating a blond muscle man in his lab.  A number of the audience “callouts” have been updated over the years to match the times, but there are still a few lyrics that harken to the 1970’s such as Rocky’s lament “I’m at the start of a pretty big downer” in the song “The Sword of Damocles.”  The musical was ranked 8th in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the “Nation’s Number One Essential Musicals.”  Both stage show and movie have played worldwide.

The intimate, well-worn theater in Cinnaminson was a perfect venue, replete with red velvet curtains, and reminded me of the great retro theaters in New York that were once so ubiquitous.  Various clips from B movies like Tarantula, Curse of the Demon and King Kong played on screen pre-show and the famous red lips also make an appearance.

The set, while simple, brilliantly captures all the elements of the story with clever devices, my favorite being the neon screen humorously used to peer into the guests’ bedrooms at the castle.  Most delightful in this production, in fact, is the great attention to delicious details from the fabulous, diverse makeup of the cast, particularly the Phantoms, to the wonderful costumes (love Janet’s blouse and the Narrator’s housecoat) and the live, motley but excellent orchestra who are not in a pit, but on a level above the stage.  A shout out must be given to those great musicians, who stayed in character and reminded me of the Kit Kat Klub players in Cabaret:  Peg Smith, Tim Herman, Anna Egan, Kara Milici, Mark Petti, Neal Petti and Joe Stellwag.  Also delectably eerie are the Phantoms, a nice mix of writhing, lecherous, part punk/part ghoul minions.

Standouts in a gifted cast include Yeshua Irizarry who was subbing for Jerrod Ganesh in the role of Riff Raff (and brought a cool, Bela Lugosi flavor to his portrayal); the spot-on Kori Rife as the Narrator (when she starts letting loose and getting down, it’s priceless); and Emily Griffith as squeaky-voiced, demure Janet Weiss (“slut!”).  Griffith reminded me somewhat of a young Vicki Lawrence and had a great sense of comedy.  Also wonderful are Zach Martin as Rocky Horror, Frank-N-Furter’s creation, who seems to have a 7-day-old mentality; Aimee Ferenz, a local music teacher, who doubles as Magenta and the Usherette; Vincent DeMeo with fine comedic bits as uptight Brad Major (“Asshole!”); and Shaina Egan as Columbia with her touching musical laments.  As Eddie, Christian Milazzo gets to shine vocally with the Meatloaf number “Hot Patootie.”

Tim Curry is a tough act for any Dr. Frank-N-Furter to follow, but Michael Aquilino (who has played the role before) captures all the right dynamics of the character, as well as skillfully playing off the audience with ad libs.  He is lascivious, a narcissist, charming and fierce.  His counterpoint is Dr. Everett Scott who is played tongue-in-cheek or leg-in-fishnet by Brian S. Rothman.

As always, there is audience participation with “plants” in the back row supplying the irreverent lines.  My favorite was when Janet says, “I was saving myself” as someone in the back row yells, “For what?  A rainy day?  Look outside, bitch.  It’s pouring!”  (Yes, it was pouring!)  As in the film, audience members use live props like rice and squirt guns and during the storm reference, I got squirted on the head!

In spite of being quirky and weird and steeped in the “B” genre, Rocky Horror also has many layers of messages and meaning of sorts, which explains why it resonates some fifty years later (besides being a great musical).  “I’m Going Home,” in fact, while campy, is a moving song, almost an anthem for the social misfits and marginalized communities that struggled to find a sense of belonging or even visibility in this world (like the gay community).  It’s clear why this show has always drawn teens, but it could apply to anyone who has ever been an outsider.  It also is a rousing celebration of sexual liberation and liberation from repression of any kind (a long-standing theme in the arts).

BCF’s Rocky Horror Show, like the film, is escapist fun and inspires repeat viewings.  It isn’t a crime to give yourself over to pleasure, is it?

To post a comment, you must register and login.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!