On its initial release in 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show didn’t break box office records, didn’t make overnight sensations of its stars and didn’t win over critics. In fact, the movie version of the rock’n’roll stage musical was widely considered a flop. It wasn’t until the film hit the midnight screening circuit that everything changed. Repeat viewers began dressing up as their favourite characters, shouting lines back at the screen, and transforming each showing into a communal ritual that ultimately embedded the film as one of cinema’s most enduring cult classics. All of this… and more… was vehemently on display last night at the Dominion Theatre for The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary Spectacular. Fishnets, corsets and glittering top hats filled the room and callbacks rang out with gleeful precision in a decades-spanning celebration of unapologetic inclusivity and fan devotion.
As part of the 50th Anniversary Spectacular, fans got the chance to meet original cast members Barry Bostwick (Brad), Little Nell (Columbia), and Patricia Quinn (Magenta), giving us the rare opportunity to come face-to-face with the people who brought these iconic characters to life, which felt pretty emotional for a lot of us. Once everyone was seated inside the huge Dominion Theatre, the president of the Rocky Horror fan club Larry Viezel kicked things off with a costume contest, drawing crowds of fans in full regalia to the front of the stage to show off their looks, with Little Nell stepping in to judge and pick three winners. After that, Barry, Little Nell and Pat come on stage for a Q&A, this time joined by Peter Hinwood, who played Rocky and was a real surprise addition given his long absence from the film’s fan circuit. The cast shared stories about getting involved in the original stage show and film, and the audience was even treated to Barry singing a few lines from Once in a While, a song that was filmed but cut from the theatrical release.
After plenty of laughs, lengthy trips down memory lane from Pat, and applause, the original cast left the stage and the film began. Now, calling this a simple film screening wouldn’t do it justice. In true midnight screening style madness, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was played alongside a live shadow cast from the Denton Deviants, performing every scene in front of the screen. The audience joined in with prop bags handed out on entry and the usual enthusiastic callbacks ringing through the theatre. The film itself was shown in a new 4K restoration and has rarely looked better, with brighter colours, sharper images, and fresh detail revealing itself in the sets. What really made this 50th Anniversary a spectacular though was the involvement of the original stars joining in the fun. We had Barry reprising scenes as Brad and Little Nell in full costume, reprising her tap dance right in the middle of Time Warp. Unforgettable!
As the evening came to a close, it left me reflecting on the enduring power of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the community of “others” it continues to celebrate. Around me, both onstage and off, were people of all ages, shapes, and backgrounds, all brought together by our shared love of a gloriously silly queer sci-fi movie with incredible music that preaches love and acceptance via a B-movie lens. It made me wonder where many of us would be without Rocky Horror and the sense of belonging it has created over the decades. Touring select UK cities until May, The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary Spectacular really is a once in a life time experience. When I think about how the film and stage musical has been such a positive force in so many fans' lives, I’m always brought back to Magenta’s line: “I’m lucky, he’s lucky, you’re lucky, we’re all lucky!”
Review: Stuart James.