The Rocky Horror Show: a must-see musical at Theatre on the Bay

The Rocky Horror Show: Theatre on the Bay

Star Rating: ★★★★★

Theatre producer Pieter Toerien has for years been the king of musicals in South Africa and his latest edition of The Rocky Horror Show proves it yet again.

Toerien invests in bringing popular international musicals to local audiences.at various theatres in the country, including his base Theatre On the Bay (TOTB) in his home city Cape Town.

This is not the first time Toerien brings Rocky to local shores. The original show was penned by Richard O’Brien and debuted in London in 1973. Since then it has been produced worldwide.

It tells the story of newly engaged couple Brad and Janet who “experience a stormy night, a flat tyre and a detour to a mysterious castle”. Here they “encounter the charismatic, corset-clad 'sweet transvestite' Dr Frank 'n' Furter, his eccentric household and the muscle-bound creation Rocky”.

“What unfolds is a deliciously subversive journey of transformation, temptation and self-realisation,” reads the synopsis.

This Rocky edition is a collaboration with the Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy where quite a few cast members in this show have graduated from. It is a predominantly young cast — including the lead couple — but they have the skills to pull off a show that older professionals have been doing for years. 

A musical must have great singers and this one does. It also has choreography that keeps the show moving and acting that is believable. Performances are fun, sensual, comical and crazy.

 The show also has audience participation, with hecklers shouting out questions or raising glow sticks adding to the humour and a sense of being immersed in the story. When a musical is pulled off like this it is magical. 

Rocky runs at TOTB until 31 May. It then opens at Pieter Toerien’s Theatre at Montecasino in Johannesburg on 12 June. It will then have repeat runs in Cape Town and Johannesburg.