This review was from the Wellington, NZ newspaper, Nov. 16, 2002:
Rocky Horror Love Affair Sashays On.
Damn it, Janet, can it really be 30 years since Frank'n'furter first strode the stage in fishnets and stilettos? I'm afraid so.
Three decades on, we still love it.
Crowd-pleasing spectacle is Simon Prast's forte and here he knows he must give in to the easy pleasure of the times and the joy of being lewd.
The death of Kevin Smith , who was to play Frank'n'furter cast an inevitable pall, but replacement Joel Tobeck has the requisite bad boy sexiness that lets him play Frank to his trannie best, all pout and sashay, a sexual predator without peer. This is a great cast. Michael Hurst's Riff Raff capers maniacally. Sophia Hawthorne is always worth watching and Mikey Havoc makes his stage debut in the dual roles of Eddie and Dr. Scott.
Strangely, he is better as curmudgeonly ol' Doc Scott. Havoc was hampered as were several of the cast, by a muddy sound mix that did the weaker singers no favours.
The notable exceptions were Roy Snow in great voice as Brad and Ainslee Allen as Columbia. Craig Parker's Man in Black narrator showed great comic timing.
John Parker's set was never distracting and always elegant, echoing bad sci fi and the iris of a movie camera closing to switch scenes.
The challenge for Prast was to make Rocky Horror genuine theatre rather than amusing pastiche with great songs. After a slightly rocky start, the second half really got there. By the time Tobeck sings the lovely "Don't dream it, be it", the audience was in this production's hands and justly so.
Yep, it's time to do the time warp again.
***
My friend's quick comment on Craig's performance:
"He's right about Craig -perfect interworking of a narrator who effortlessly and campily wends his way into the scenes, both commenting on them AND interacting, singing and dancing happily throughout."
Rocky Horror Love Affair Sashays On.
Damn it, Janet, can it really be 30 years since Frank'n'furter first strode the stage in fishnets and stilettos? I'm afraid so.
Three decades on, we still love it.
Crowd-pleasing spectacle is Simon Prast's forte and here he knows he must give in to the easy pleasure of the times and the joy of being lewd.
The death of Kevin Smith , who was to play Frank'n'furter cast an inevitable pall, but replacement Joel Tobeck has the requisite bad boy sexiness that lets him play Frank to his trannie best, all pout and sashay, a sexual predator without peer. This is a great cast. Michael Hurst's Riff Raff capers maniacally. Sophia Hawthorne is always worth watching and Mikey Havoc makes his stage debut in the dual roles of Eddie and Dr. Scott.
Strangely, he is better as curmudgeonly ol' Doc Scott. Havoc was hampered as were several of the cast, by a muddy sound mix that did the weaker singers no favours.
The notable exceptions were Roy Snow in great voice as Brad and Ainslee Allen as Columbia. Craig Parker's Man in Black narrator showed great comic timing.
John Parker's set was never distracting and always elegant, echoing bad sci fi and the iris of a movie camera closing to switch scenes.
The challenge for Prast was to make Rocky Horror genuine theatre rather than amusing pastiche with great songs. After a slightly rocky start, the second half really got there. By the time Tobeck sings the lovely "Don't dream it, be it", the audience was in this production's hands and justly so.
Yep, it's time to do the time warp again.
***
My friend's quick comment on Craig's performance:
"He's right about Craig -perfect interworking of a narrator who effortlessly and campily wends his way into the scenes, both commenting on them AND interacting, singing and dancing happily throughout."