Holly StewartA cold Saturday evening and the first snowfall of the season didn’t stop the line for the Rocky Horror Picture Show from extending around the block. It’s safe to say that those who like it, like it a lot. Dedicated fans were dressed in drag and dishabille, even though fishnets and hot pants don’t make for adequate winter layers.
The show started with a ghoulish rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance followed by a costume contest amongst audience members. Then everyone settled in for the real action. The cult classic was shown on the big screen while the scenes were simultaneously acted out on the stage in front. A live narrator threw in lines that distorted the film’s script. “Where’s your neck? Are you an armadillo?” he asked whenever the film’s narrator appeared. The acting was even more creative and explicit than the film itself; during Susan Sarandon’s “Creature of the Night,” in which she sings about heavy petting and making out, the onstage actors pantomimed various graphic sex acts.
Audience participation was mandatory: toilet paper, toast, and rice were all thrown at the appropriate moments, and not a single person remained seated during the classic “Time Warp” dance. At the end of the night, the audience trickled out reluctantly, more disappointed that the show was over than dreading the cold weather outside.
