Richard O'Brien's legendary rock 'n' roll musical that pays tribute to early 20th century sci‑fi/horror B‑movies celebrates 50 years and returns to the road with this latest UK tour, landing at the New Wimbledon Theatre with a production that delivers exactly what you'd expect – though whether that's enough depends entirely on your appetite for camp theatrics and audience participation.
Jason Donovan takes on the role of Frank N Furter with clear commitment, bringing his own style to the famous character. Stacey Monahan as Janet and Connor Carson as Brad do well as the innocent couple, while Job Greuter's Riff Raff brings the right creepy atmosphere. Morgan Jackson looks great as Rocky, while Edward Bullingham handles both Eddie and Dr. Scott with enthusiasm. Nathan Caton's Narrator keeps the crowd entertained with jokes and audience chat.
The production does what it sets out to do - stay true to Richard O'Brien's original show. The first act moves quickly with great energy, helped by those famous songs that everyone knows and sings along to. The staging by Hugh Durrant looks right for the B-movie style, and the cast clearly enjoys the crazy material.
However, the show's basic problems are still there. The plot, wafer-thin at best, can't keep things interesting after the famous opening parts. While the first act has the classic songs and character introductions, the second act feels much less focused as the story falls apart and there aren't as many memorable songs. What starts as fun chaos slowly loses direction, with the second half sometimes feeling slow when it should be building up excitement.
The Rocky Horror Show is a very specific type of musical – one that needs you to fully enjoy its camp humour and wild spirit. For fans, this production gives them the familiar fun and audience participation they want. For newcomers or those looking for more depth beyond the spectacle, it might feel a bit empty underneath all the glitter.
The touring show does its job well enough, giving fans their expected dose of nostalgia while introducing new people to this long-lasting piece of musical theatre. Just don't expect it to be more than what it is.
It runs at the New Wimbledon Theatre until 5 July.
Photos: David Freeman