It‘s not usual to be asked to hand over any water pistols or lighters as you enter the theatre, but this was no normal night at the Leeds Grand. This halloween saw The Rocky Horror Show come to Leeds, a whirlwind of gender blurring, B-movie spooky delights.

With an infectious soundtrack and relentless energy from an impressive cast, the show managed to break most theatrical conventions -audiences were competing against one another with heckling which eliminated any form of order in the night‘s performance. I felt very out of place to have not gone wearing drag and all things inspired by characters from the show, such as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the sweet transvestite from Transsexual Transylvania.

‘The charm of this show is through its unapologetic nature – the plot is nonsense, but who cares?’

The charm of this show is through its unapologetic nature – the plot is nonsense, but who cares? The atmosphere was electric with audience members clapping away and cheering within the first two bars of the overture. The show itself was slick and tidy, which while steering away from the shabby  chicness of the film, added to the professionalism and only enhanced this immaculate performance.

The use of bright bold colours in the set and gaudy costumes fitted well with the 1950s aesthetic, and the incorporation of the band at the top of the stage bound the music and action together in a perfect combination.

‘by the end of the second encore, even the more reluctant were bending their knees in time to the world of mayhem that is The Rocky Horror Show.’

The Rocky Horror Show is certainly a cult classic and those who aren‘t aware of what they may be in for may find it quite shocking – it is certainly not one for those who are more into their serious tragedies. That being said, by the end of the second encore, even the more reluctant were bending their knees in time to the world of mayhem that is The Rocky Horror Show.

Words cannot express how amazing The Rocky Horror Show was – by far the best thing I’ve seen in my four years at Leeds. An absolute gem.

Mark McDougall

(Image courtesy of Leeds Grand)