At Pioneer Theatre Company, dreams become reality, and the imaginations of some of the most creative artists of our time are represented on-stage for all to enjoy. On Thursday night, however, the PTC stage was all about the art of rock ‘n’ roll with its energetic and entertaining presentation of “The Rocky Horror Show Concert Version,” along with an audience that was more than willing to let their hair down and party along with the cast.
“The Rocky Horror Show,” which is based on a 1975 musical comedy horror film directed by Jim Sharman and starring Tim Curry, has developed a rabid cult following that PTC tapped into following a successful run last year with the very same production. It’s a rare occurrence when the audience is filled with just as many characters as those on stage and even rarer when a production strongly encourages their participation. However, it’s just that right amount of audience irreverence that adds color to an already colorful performance.
It helps, of course, that prop kits are sold in the lobby before the show, containing everything from popcorn, toilet paper and, perhaps best of all, latex gloves along with instructions on how best to utilize them during the show. This is the first sign that “The Rocky Horror Show” is not exactly the normal fare PTC presents. The second sign would be the grand entrance of the show’s star, Frank ‘N’ Furter, played by Will Swenson, who appears out of a plume of smoke to thunderous applause, wearing a black leather corset that would make even the most dominant dominatrix blush.
The show starts out with popular songs like “Science Fiction Double Feature” and
“Damn It, Janet,” but they end up serving like the opening band at a rock concert, warming up the audience for the arrival of the main event. Without a doubt, Swenson’s performance as Furter is more than worthy of his top billing.
Swenson, much like his cinematic counterpart Curry, brings a towering and dominating presence to the role of Furter with a physicality that is at once feminine and masculine without any clear definition between them. As a self-described “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania,” Furter is a character you have to see to appreciate, and Swenson does a credible job of paying homage to the performance of Curry while still adding his own personal touch.
Swenson owns the stage with a performance that is impossible to ignore and a voice that is clearly Broadway-quality, with just the right amount of rock opera flair. Whether he is prancing along with his latest muscle-bound creation or cutting off the hand of his former protégé, Swenson proves a delightfully combustible mix of menace and charm.
But as impressive as Swenson is, at the end of the night, he takes a backseat to the true star of the show: the audience. Between throwing popcorn or tossing around blown-up latex gloves while referring to certain characters on stage with certain unprintable expletives, it’s the fervent fan boys and girls in the audience who take the show to nearly intoxicating heights of enjoyment. Whether it’s adding to the dialogue at just the right moment or dancing in the aisles to songs like “The Time Warp,” the audience proves exactly why a cult following can give extended life and relevance to a production that would otherwise seem dated and, well, really weird.
By the end of the evening the festive audience left the theatre in much worse condition then it was before they arrived. The floors were littered with popcorn, toilet paper, newspapers, confetti and foam hot dogs, representing what must be an absolutely nightmare for the janitorial staff to clean up. However after what was clearly a rousing success for the second straight year at PTC, it’s quite likely the nightmare will continue for years to come.