LETS DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!

I caught The Rocky Horror Show right after an absolutely mind-blowing performance of Masquerade and just before my long drive back to Northern Virginia. Coming straight from that immersive, high-production stunner, which completely blew my socks off, and stepping into the theater after being outside in the middle of a brutal heatwave definitely shaped my initial impressions.

Luke Evans absolutely carried the production as Frank-N-Furter, and Amber Gray was fantastic as Riff Raff too. The beginning of the show felt a bit flat to me. The added scene with Brad seemed a little out of place, but I chalk that up to the whiplash from Masquerade’s intensity and the lingering heat exhaustion. I get it. It is a director’s fresh take on a true classic that has

been performed in theaters for generations. That kind of legacy has to be incredibly difficult to reinterpret, and they still delivered a wildly entertaining night.

Everything I read online beforehand said audience call-outs were discouraged to protect the integrity of the performance, and that this version was not the movie. Fair enough. But Rachel Dratch’s comedic timing was perfect, and by the end of the show the entire theater was in unison shouting the most classic call-outs. It felt like the cast encouraged it with some perfectly timed pauses. The audience was clearly packed with longtime fans, and the energy was electric.

The theater was decked out though some of the sets felt simple, almost like a neighborhood theater’s campy play, especially coming straight from the more polished productions of Little Shop of Horrors and Masquerade. But honestly, I think that was exactly the vibe they were going for. Rocky understood the assignment (that’s all I’ll say about that). I also loved the special surprise chorus moment.

Nobody could do the Time Warp in the cramped theater seats, but the cast invited audience members up on stage to join them, which was such a fun, inclusive touch that had everyone smiling.

Overall, it was a joyful, nostalgic evening with a fantastic cast that got better and better as the night went on. Highly recommend going in with an open mind and letting the cult classic spirit take over.