“The Rocky Horror Show” and its motion picture counterpart, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” thrive on everything from verbal and visual illusions to sexuality and pleasure. But when Rocky Horror fans talk about virgins, their reference has nothing to do with sex. Virgins are those who have never seen the science fiction spoof and are naive to its appeal.
Although University students raised in the 1980s might be virgins to Rocky Horror, theaters and cinemas are experienced. They have been showing and performing the no-holds-barred rock-musical since it garnered subculture popularity in the mid-1970s.
The local theater Actors Cabaret of Eugene, which opened this weekend, has been running the play, a cross between a grade-B horror movie, science-fiction and rock ‘n’ roll, for seven years.
Jim Roberts, the producing-artistic director of this fall’s ACE production, explained their motivation: “The reason we do it is for fun.”
Returning for his second performance as the science professor, Dr. Scott, theater arts major Tyler Holden said, “It’s some sort of addiction.”
The play’s longevity demonstrates that the performance is a pleasure for the crowds as well as the cast. Even though the play was based in the 1950s and written in the 1970s, it continues to entertain audiences because of what fans say are its laugh-out-loud comedy, shock-value, audience participation and classic themes.
Holden said Rocky Horror rehashes age-old subjects with a new twist.
“It’s Frankenstein’s story gone Translyvanian, gone Tim Curry,” the senior said.
The story opens as Brad and Janet, a young American couple, decide to announce their recent engagement to their science professor, Dr. Scott. During the stormy, topsy-turvy evening, their car tire blows out on a deserted highway, and they are forced to seek refuge at a nearby castle. Instead of finding assistance, the couple encounters a chorus of transsexual Translyvanian aliens and their mad scientist Frank N. Furter, who is on the verge of unveiling his new creation, the Adonis-of-a-man, Rocky Horror.
Holden said the show unfolds into a lesson about love, trust, pleasure and the possibility of humankind.
“And it’s a big funny hoo-ha-ha,” he said.
While the ACE production uses the same script as the film, the costumes, sets and interaction are different. In addition to the traditional leather, garters, fishnets and flesh, Roberts said he has added Las Vegas-style glitz. Holden said the costumes “are so gaudy it almost hurts your eyes to look at them.”
Film veterans should expect a sparse set, a five-piece band and a more active chorus. In addition, Roberts said the play will be more interactive than the movie. The actors are able to respond to the crowd and hit the callback lines differently, ensuring that each performance is unique.
Freshman Chelsea Cook, who has seen the film more than a hundred times, said, “Audience participation makes me feel like I am a part of something that I love to watch.”
She said participation helps the audience to realize the story’s theme: “Don’t dream it, be it.”
But these participation traditions did not exist at the play’s 1973 debut; they evolved with the popularity of the story.
The play was written by actor Richard O’Brien, who worked as a cheese farmer in New Zealand before he became a subculture king.
First performed in London, “The Rocky Horror Show” won acclaims from the London Evening Standard. With the backing of American entrepreneur Lou Adler and Twentieth Century Fox, the play jumped from stage to screen in 1975. The film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” bombed in most cities; however, since its start on the midnight circuit, the film has become a cult staple.
According to www.rockyhorror.com, fans began singing along with the songs such as “Toucha-Toucha-Toucha-Touch Me” and “Sweet Transvestite.” They talked back to the screen, mimicked characters’ actions and started wearing fishnets, leather, lingerie and other risqué costumes to showings.
Although the response depended on the crowd and theater, many audience participation traditions evolved to include pulling out lighters; firing squirt guns; throwing toast, rice and playing cards; rattling noisemakers during the creation scene; and doing the “Time Warp” in the aisles during the closing credits. Oblivious to these traditions, some “virgins” were tormented by returnees before performances.
After many years of clean-up difficulties, flashlights have replaced lighters, rice and toast are banned in many venues and squirt guns must be low-powered.
Holden said that audience participation is modified for safety reasons. He said it would be dangerous to wear high heels with rice on the stage.
“It’s really hard to act with someone shooting a water gun in your eye,” he said.
But ACE still allows this tradition to continue.
And now, those who are even further removed from Little Richard, the Red Scare and Charles Atlas still attend showings. The play just closed on Broadway this September, and the story is played and performed on many college campuses close to Halloween.
“The Rocky Horror Show” will be performed at the McDonald Theater at 1010 Willamette St. on Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. The production moves to ACE, 996 Willamette St., for performances Nov. 2, 3, 9 and 10. Tickets range from $14 to $22.
Anne Le Chevallier is a features reporter
for the Oregon Daily Emerald.
She can be reached at [email protected].