Monday, 3 November 2008
Rocky Horror Show
Lust Unbound
Not just a plain comedy: 35 years after its premiere the "Rocky Horror Show" returns to the stage as a blasting rock-music spectacle
In the beginning there were no negative reviews at all, remembers Richard O’Brian, the author of the "Rocky Horror Show". Actually, he never met anybody who didn't like the show. In such a case it should be possible to arrange something. 35 years after its premiere, the play may stir memories of better, long-gone times and feelings among viewers. The show has become cult since its first staging in London. However, the show has remained unnoticed in Eastern Germany. After 1990, the stage-version's visibility also remained very low.
Hence, there are people who will arrive at the show with a rather sober attitude and the idea of being attacked by their neighbour with a water gun will strike them as silly. However, the staged thundershower leaving its mark on the parquet is part of the experience. Furthermore, the classic theatregoer may consider the throwing of toilet paper, the shaking of wooden rattles, and the loud singing and talking as disturbing. Particularly since the plot always has had a crazy twist to it: after a car break-down, two terribly square country-bumpkins reach a castle inhabited by bizarre extraterrestrial transvestites who are about to produce artificial offspring (Rocky). While doing so they party, commit murder, give in to fits of jealousy, have lots of sexual encounters, and finally return to outer space. O'Brian (music and text) points out the inherent criticism of science and its excesses. However, the possibility to honestly interpret the play as a transgressive Hansel-and-Gretel-adaptation remains. In any case, nowadays a play of this kind has to be done extremely well in order to leave an impression.
To put it briefly: the "Rocky Horror Show", staged anew at the Admiralpalast under the supervision of its creator and based on the original, is spectacular. A stunning rock-music spectacle: fast, bold, lustful. Its appeal does not reveal itself solely in the wildly clad, partying, and text-reciting viewers lost in a crazy style-mix of transvestites, punks, and vamps. Quite the contrary: with their strong performance the actors accomplish to influence the audience. Overhasty comments are poignantly reacted upon with acerb glances or short admonishments: "Wait!" On stage, the classic and indestructible rock-music blast "Time Warp" does not necessarily guarantee to be a sure-fire success, and still it is. The director's, Sam Buntrock's, goal is not just plain humour. For this reason he reacts meticulously to every offended face and every disdainful glance. The result is a seduction into unbound lust and it works. In any case, throughout the evening the audience fervently moans along with the sex scenes. For whoever seeks to experience how growing arousal works on stage: arousal is very present here accompanied by a high level of physicality.
Everything is perfect in this play: the glamorous decoration, the energetic rock-band placed above the stage, the sound, the lighting, and a cast as from a different world – triumphant in its vocal and dancing performance. The cast originates from the British island just like the main performer, Rob Morton Fowler (as scientist Frank 'n' Furter). Frank 'n' Furter creates a flawless man in a test-tube. Fowler plays the power-obsessed and vain giant dressed in bodices, suspenders, and solid high heels - justly acclaimed for his lasciviously demonic presence on stage.
At the end, the audience's reaction is uncontrollable. A thrilled Richard O'Brien dances onto the stage and this evening again will surely not result in a damning review. In Berlin, cheap and trashy tour productions from the entertainment industry are one in a million. This is not one of them. It will stay for three weeks – definitely not long enough.
