I heard about The Rocky Horror Picture Show in high school. I was in the school's Theatre Company and some of the company members were regulars. The words "time warp", "drag queen", and "rock musical" were thrown around. It seemed like some cultish activity that didn't interest me at that stage in my life.
As I got older, the idea fascinated me. I love movies, I love theatre, I love musicals, I love different, interactive, theatrical experiences. Rocky Horror Picture Show seemed more and more appealing. But, I heard rumors about being a "virgin" to the show and having strange things happen to you...this kept me from going.
Last night, I finally went! I researched how to do the time warp online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT7riT9k8v0, went to the official fan page and read up on props to bring and what to wear. It got me excited. I'd heard a lot about the show up until this point and my anticipation was rising. I put on a corset, a sequined shirt, flower patterned stockings, and a pleather skirt (yes I somehow own all of these items). It was fun dressing up like this, since I never do. I wanted to look like I fit in, so I wasn't noticed as a "virgin"...I was still scared of what would happen!
After getting dressed up, I went to the Nuart Theatre in Santa Monica around 11:30 PM. A small crowd had gathered outside the doors. Some were dressed in drag, corsets, bow-ties, "fun" clothes, but other people just wore casual attire. Once I entered the theatre (I had bought my tickets ahead of time, since I wasn't sure if it'd be sold out...turns out there were many seats left, and people were buying tickets minutes before midnight), the concession stand was in full force, and prop bags were available for sale.
The theatre played music and had a colored disco ball. Audience members danced on the stage before the festivities began. Then a man came on stage to announce the rules. This process took way too long and consisted of many drug-related jokes, which were stale after a while. The performers and organizers of the event, stood on the side-lines, cursing and mocking the rule-man. They spoke a memorized dialogue (that fans and frequent audience members knew, as well), which set the tone of audience participation, cat calling, and verbal freedom.
I admire the merit of having a show where people can be free to express themselves, shout, laugh, cry, dance, say whatever is on their mind, etc. but there was also a sense of desperation. Who could get the most attention? Who spoke the loudest? Who was the most outrageous? That kind of contest didn't amuse me. I was more interested in the movie and an entertaining evening, not a lot of people yelling over each other.
Then the "virgin" portion happened. They asked people to stay standing if they were Rocky Horror Virgins. My friend knew I was scared so she pushed me into my seat. Turns out, I didn't have that much to fear. A huge chorus of virgins headed onto the stage. Then the performers and volunteers and some of the regulars surrounded the virgins in a tight-knit pack and....humped them. Yep. Humped them. I guess to signify taking their virginity? Then six virgin volunteers went on a scavenger hunt which included getting a pair of underwear from someone in the audience AND making out with a stranger who wasn't in costume! Kind of outrageous...but pretty fun to watch.
As for the actual show, I was a bit underwhelmed. There was a group of about ten people who were silently acting out the movie as it occurred (in front of the screen), but some of them stayed in the aisles standing and yelling pre-planned retorts. Several months ago, I had seen Tommy Wiseau's The Room, which was similar, in that audience members recite back to the screen and have props. The difference at Rocky Horror was that there were people stationed in the aisles to shout the sayings. This was kind of annoying to me because while some of the comments were funny, most consisted of pretty juvenile humor. A burly guy was planted right next to our seats. Hearing him screaming was a bit unnerving and made it very challenging to hear the true dialogue of the film.
I was also kind of disappointed in the live show. The actors consistently broke character. They would yawn, or start talking to each other, and then when the spot light hit them, would resume their stance and get back into character, miming the physical actions of the screen actor. I think it would have been more theatrical and entertaining to watch if the actors stayed in character at all times.
The most enjoyable part of the show for me was being with my friends in a free environment. We could talk during the movie and not be shushed and interact together. During the "time warp" (which is a song/dance) the whole audience stood up and did it together. That was fun. I also liked using props. I felt kind of silly holding a newspaper over my head, but it reminded me of childhood in a very good way. Another unfortunate factor in all of this, was that I kept falling asleep during the movie, as I had just gone to a midnight screening the night before. So, now I've learned that I am a pre-mature grandmother and cannot attend two midnight screenings in a row, because I get sreepy.
Overall, I am glad that I went. I understand the appeal, but I think it might be more enjoyable for younger people craving a night where one can unleash some inner demons and let loose. For me, it was more of an interesting experience, fun at times, but also could have been better. The movie, from what I could tell (it was hard to follow due to all the yelling...and because I kept nodding off...teehee), was about showmanship and theatrics and experimentation. I think the live theatrical show and some of the coordinated/choreographed responses could be more creative and in line with the themes of the show, instead of just loud cursing and mocking. I'd recommend going just to have the interactive experience, however seeing The Room was more fun for me because the movie is hilariously bad and thus more enjoyable to mock.
Learn more about The Rocky Horror Picture Show here: http://www.rockyhorror.com/
If you decide to go, here are some costume ideas: Halloween Rocky Horror Riff Raff Adult Costume and Halloween Rocky Horror Columbia Wig
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