On Tuesday 31st August 2021 I was invited to the Orchard Theatre for their opening show since lockdown, The Rocky Horror Show. As soon as I arrived I could feel the atmosphere was buzzing with the antici...pation of the theatre firing up the stage lights once more.
A cult favourite since it first opened its doors at The Royal Court Theatre in 1973, The Rocky Horror Show tells us the story of Brad and Janet, a wholesome young couple who's car breaks down one stormy night. Upon looking for a phone to call for help, they 'stumble' upon the home of Frank N Furter and his...acquaintences, and Brad and Janet get a sudden awakening into a bizarre and sensual world.
Written by Richard O' Brien, and featuring the much loved rock and roll songs, Science Fiction/ Double Feature, Dammit Janet, Sweet Transvestite and the infamous Time Warp, this tour is directed by Christopher Luscombe and features the stunning choreography of Nathan M Wright, which particulalry shines in the fantastic Time Warp. Stephen Webb takes on the momentous role of Frank, a confident and cheeky performance from a well-seasoned performer. This role is the linch pin of the show, and Webb tackles it with charm and ease.
Brad and Janet are played by Ore Oduba and Haley Flaherty respectively. Although fairly new on the theatre scene compared to his colleagues, Ore Oduba is magnificent as Brad, his voice is smooth and strong and, despite being the strongest looking Brad I've ever seen, his quirky, nerdy characterisation was great fun to watch. Oduba was in great hands with his on stage partner, Haley Flaherty, who gave a polished, quirky and fun performance as Janet. Her vocals were impeccible as she belted out her songs flawlessly. Oduba and Flaherty made a fantastic duo as Brad and Janet.
Other performances of note have to be... Philip Franks as the Narrator, a masterclass in audience participation, Franks played the narrator with charm, quit-wit and a great sense of fun, an unflappable performance and a definite stand out in the show. I also really enjoyed Kristian Lavercombe as Riff Raff, his voice rang out in true rock style during his numbers, and his physicalisation was spot on. All the actors were fantastic, each and every one of them brought their own energy to their roles and it was so much fun to watch them performing!
The Rocky Horror Show is a bizarre, funny, entertaining trip of a show. The audience are rowdy (in a good way), the characters are kooky, it's loud, brash, hilarious and the music packs a punch! The Orchard Theatre is back with a bang and I highly recommend going to see what all the fuss is about! Seeing an entire auditorium on their feet dancing to the Time Warp was one of the most delightful things to see after the past year and a half. Theatre is back!
The Rocky Horror Show is playing at The Orchard Theatre, Dartford from Tuesday 31st August - Friday 3rd September
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