By Carys Hogan
As a huge musical theatre fan, I had high expectations when going to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Needless to say, I was not disappointed! The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the New Theatre Oxford is a show which will make you shiver with anticip…ation!
After being invited to attend Press Night, I attended with my friend, where we were greeted by accommodating and attentive staff, who were always on hand to help. After having a drink at the lovely Piano Bar, we made our way to our seats, not knowing what to expect. My friend had never seen the show before, so I was eager to see what she thought!
The musical follows the story of Brad (played by Ore Oduba) and Janet (Haley Flaherty), a couple who find themselves at a spooky castle after trouble with their car and who meet Frank N Furter (Stephen Webb), “a sweet transvestite”, and find themselves in for a night of the most spectacular, musical chaos. The Narrator (Philip Franks) interacts and engages with the audience with such wit and energy, reacting to the audience participation with a charm and humour which means you’re tempted to come back every night to see how the show would change!
Not only did I love it but so did my friend, despite never seeing the show before. By the end, we were dancing along together and laughed so much we thought we would cry! The show is a timeless classic and not a single second of it is thrown away by this spectacular cast, who performed with such wit and charisma that you couldn’t help but feel like part of the story. With Frank N Furter, you were one of his servants. With Janet and Brad, you felt their confusion and apprehension. With Rocky, you could grow with the character. It’s so easy to become consumed in this show which is guaranteed to get you up on your feet, where you’ll be wishing you could do the Time Warp and watch the show all over again.
My night at the New Theatre watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show was a night I will never forget. It’s one of my highlights of my entire year at Oxford so far. Not only did I watch one of my favourite shows, but it also gave me a perfect moment to propose to my now College wife!
I couldn’t recommend the show, or the theatre, highly enough.
Definitely get tickets if you can!