The Rocky Horror Show at Milton Keynes Theatre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Janine Rumble
Being an avid fan of Richard O’Brien’s, The Rocky Horror Show for many, many years and having attended the show numerous times, I was so excited to be able to watch the show again and boy, it did not disappoint. The show was amazing, the cast was amazing, I laughed out loud too many times to remember and danced my feet off. It was a brilliant night.
If you’ve ever been to The Rocky Horror Show, you already know it’s not just a musical – it’s an experience, a celebration of the weird, wild, and wonderfully out-of-this-world. From the moment the curtains rise, you’re transported into a bizarre and beautiful world that is as playful as it is rebellious.
For anybody who has lived under a rock for the last fifty years and has never heard of The Rocky Horror Show, the premise of the musical follows two young people, Brad (played by Connor Carson) and Janet (played by Lauren Chia), who have just become engaged are excitedly on a journey to visit their former college professor in whose class they first met to share their good news. But on the way, their tyre blows out during a rainstorm and they are forced to seek refuge in a dark and foreboding mansion, where, once they meet the inhabitants within, they and their lives will never be the same again!
The show blends catchy, unforgettable songs, unforgettable characters, and an atmosphere of pure freedom. Whether it’s the iconic Time Warp, with its infectious dance moves and thrilling audience participation, or the sultry and mysterious Science Fiction/Double Feature, every song draws you deeper into its quirky, sexy, and audacious world. And let’s talk about those characters – Frank-N-Furter played by the brilliant Adam Strong, a truly one-of-a-kind creation, is everything you never knew you needed in a rock star. His charm and decadence are magnetic, but it’s the depth behind that over-the-top persona that really draws you in.
The humour is sharp, the camp is deliberate, and the boldness of the narrative is a celebration of individuality. It’s a show that gives you permission to embrace your quirks, your oddities, your true self – unapologetically. I love how the show constantly pushes boundaries, without ever taking itself too seriously. There’s always room for fun, for surprises, and for finding new layers in every performance.
The cast are brilliant at what they do, they play their characters just as you would imagine them. Riff Raff is played by Job Greuter, Magenta is played by Natasha Hoeberigs, Columbia was played by Stacey Monahan, Rocky is played by Morgan Jackson, a more perfect adonis could not be found, he epitomised Rocky and what a physique!!!!! And Eddie and Doctor Scott were played by Edward Bullingham. All cast members sang brilliantly and really upped the tempo and the mood in the room.
The set was simple and very clever, all erotic reds and decadent blacks, all the signature colours of The Rocky Horror Show.
And then there’s the audience. No Rocky Horror experience is complete without the rowdy, devoted fans, who show up dressed to the nines in corsets, fishnets, and heels, ready to shout lines at the cast or throw rice or cards. It’s not just a show; it’s a community – a group of people united by a love for the outrageous, the rebellious, and the completely over-the-top. Every night feels like a party, a celebration of joy and acceptance. The audience interaction was brilliant, with the more avid fans shouting out quips throughout the night. How the cast did not break character with the hilarity of some of the quips, I do not know. Most audience members loved these interactions, but I could see some audience members looking annoyed at the near constant shouting out. The narrator, played brilliantly by comedian Nathan Caton, had some hysterical comebacks to those audience members, which had us laughing out loud.
In short, The Rocky Horror Show isn’t just a performance. It’s a tradition, a living, breathing thing that welcomes you into its world and invites you to let go of the ordinary. Every time you see it, it’s different, it’s wild, and it’s absolutely exhilarating. If you’ve never seen it – what are you waiting for? Get your costume on, get your friends together, and prepare for the time of your life. You’ll never be the same.
The Rocky Horror Show is on at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 15th February, before carrying on its UK tour.
Tickets are priced from £15.00 on weekdays and from £31.00 at the weekend. Tickets can be purchased from www.atgtickets.com.
If you love a musical, or you love a musical that is very silly, very sexy and very risqué, if you love to sing, dance and laugh along with the cast, then The Rocky Horror Show is definitely the show for you.
Rating: 5/5 stars!