'Rocky Horror Show,' live and very lively
By LAURA CAPITANO, The Times-Union
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/062907/enc_180461620.shtml"Hot patootie, bless my soul!" I chose a musical as this Weekend's Happening. It's not an action you'll likely see again from me, but I've found that when The Rocky Horror Show LIVE! calls, you best jump (to the left) and accept the charges.
One toe-tapper after another in that spectacle. I've been singing Hot Patootie ever since.
Note: There is no Tim Curry or Meat Loaf at these performances. The Rocky Horror Show LIVE! is Richard O'Brien's full-on stage show that hit London in 1973. Chancey Productions brought the show to Riverside with a totally entertaining and energetic cast who can sing and dance the heck out of those show tunes. You should hear the woman who played Magenta/Usherette. She kills it! And if you're lucky, she'll sit on your lap and sing to you.
For the uninitiated, the show's plot presents your typical horror motifs: Brad and Janet, a shy young couple stranded in the rain with car trouble happen upon the lab of Mad Scientist Frank-n-Further, transvestite, Transylvanian, and his motley crew. Singing, dancing (particularly impressive moves by men in platform boots), sex and death ensue as the young couple tries to escape the clutches of these highly musical Hot Topic rejects. This show is seriously rated R, dudes. Kid-free zone.
An added perk of going out to enjoy Rocky Horror's fishnet and harmonies is seeing the newly renovated 5 Points Theatre. It's mighty spacious and clean in there, and every seat, be it main floor, balcony, church pew or tableside, is close enough to the stage. However, the way the stage projects into the audience, you do risk being splashed with the wayward sweat of frenzied performers if you're up close.
Whether you're a lifelong fan or a "virgin," as Rocky Horrorphiles refer to first-time show-goers, you'll find what you're looking for. There's the sit-back-and-listen-quietly early performance at 8 p.m. And the fans of calling Brad and Janet names, toast tossing and squirt guns will want to take in the interactive 10:30 show, where those shenanigans are welcome.
As one of those latter fans, I was delighted to see that a handful of particularly spirited fans came dressed up in their corsets and garters.
You can't bring your own props, historic theater and all, but for $7 you can buy a nifty bag with all you need to play along, including bells and noisemakers, playing cards, a latex glove and a nice glow stick to wave during the chorus of Over at the Frankenstein Place.
Interactive scripts cost $3 and provide the typical heckling lines. Reading along with the script seems like cheating, though. Purists would argue that only those who have paid their dues with double-digit viewings of the show should be privy to learning such between-the-lines hilarity.
As with the Rocky Horror movie screenings I've seen, it takes a few minutes for the audience to warm up and get chatty. The performers did a good job of adjusting their timing and delivery as necessary to allow for crowd lines and the giggles that follow.
Things are in full swing by Time Warp, though. Good to see that ditty continues to move audiences to their feet for pelvic thrusts.
A whole audience thrusting in unison. Hot patootie!
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