By Sandi Masori
SAN DIEGO— The Rocky Horror Show has long been a cult classic. The original movie came out in 1975 and an entire culture sprang up around it. People would go to the movie, dressed in their raunchiest clothing, and join in acting out the scenes and calling out responses to the dialogue. When I was in high school back in the 80s, it often played in midnight showings, but being the youngest of my friend group, I was never allowed to go.
This kept me, in Rocky Horror lexicon “a virgin” but now, having seen Cygnet theater’s live version of the play, that stigma has finally broken.
How do I sum up the plot for those who are also still “virgins”? In a satire of late-night double features, there’s horror, aliens, murder, macabre scenarios, and lots of sexy raunchiness. Newly engaged couple Brad Majors (Drew Bradford) and Janet Weiss (Audrey Deubig) break down in the middle of nowhere and find themselves seeking a phone and shelter in a creepy castle. There they meet Dr. Frank n’ Furter (Nathan Madden) who, like the Dr. Frankenstein he is based on, has a laboratory where he’s making creatures out of parts, except he’s trying to create the perfect romantic/ sexual partner. Very conservative Brad and Janet get more than they bargained for in their night at Dr. Frank n’ Furter’s pleasure palace and experience something of a sexual awakening. (Don’t worry, though it’s raunchy, it’s also tastefully done).
The set is kept fairly minimal, mostly using an open stage or the laboratory set. There’s a loft above the stage where the live musicians sit.
The most famous number from the show is “Time Warp,” which any 80s kid will recognize from their days in the roller rink. In fact, I have to admit that I thought the song was written for roller skate dancing as that’s how I had always experienced it. When they ended the show with a sing and dance-along (a great way to end I must say), I felt strange doing the steps on solid feet.
The play is well done and well-paced. It is a longer show, but time passes quickly. On the night I saw the show, there were a handful of people in the audience who were dressed up in costumes and another handful who knew the words and responses for audience participation piece. When you go, feel free to dress up and let loose.
There are lots of familiar faces here. Deubig was in SDMT’s Legally Blonde, and I thought she would have made an excellent lead, so I was glad to see her in the lead role here. Eli Wood, also from SDMT, is in this production as Phantom, though his talent is mostly unseen as he is stationed up on the loft barely in view for much of the show. Narrator Linda Libby was in Cygnet’s incredible rendition of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, and brings energy, charisma and magnetism with her every time she gets up on stage. Jasmine January was last seen in NVA’s The Color Purple and plays a similar airy squeaky character here. Relative newcomer Shanyeyah White makes her Cygnet debut as Magenta and Usherette and has a couple of solo songs. Wow! What a voice! Allen Lucky Weaver also deserves recognition as the servant / alien Riff Raff
Nathan Madden kills it as Dr. Frank N Furter. I have to admit, I’ve never seen a man look quite so good in a corset, thigh highs and heels. And just to round out the cast, Josh Bradford, Jacob Caltrider, and Faith Carrion lend their considerable talents to the roles of Rocky, Jacob, and Eddie respectively.
The only complaint I have is that there were some audio issues that made hearing some of the dialogue clearly a challenge. Other than that, the show was all energetic campy fun.
This may not be one to bring your young kids to, but in spite of the risqué plot it would be okay to see with your older teens. Director Sean Murray finds a way to strike a balance between showing enough to give you the idea and not too much that would make it uncomfortable for older audiences or multi-generational families to see together.
And, as I mentioned above, it ends with a song-and-dance-along, so everyone leaves with a big smile on their face.
The Rocky Horror Show is at Cygnet theater in Old Town through Nov. 2
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Sandi Masori is a theater and restaurant reviewer for San Diego Jewish World