The Rocky Horror Show
| The Rocky Horror Show | |
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| Musical dates | |
| Title: | The Rocky Horror Show |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: | Richard O'Brien |
| Book: | Richard O'Brien, Jim Sharman |
| Lyrics: | Richard O'Brien |
| Premiere: | June 16, 1973 |
| Place of premiere: | The Royal Court Theater Upstairs, London (UK) |
| Playing time: | approx. 2½ hours, 1 break |
| Place and time of the action: | New Jersey in the 1950s |
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The Rocky Horror Show is a musical by Richard O'Brien that premiered on June 16, 1973 at The Royal Court Theater Upstairs , the studio stage of the Royal Court Theater in London . In 1975, the film adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show was released . The remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again followed in 2016 .
action
On a rainy November night, the newly engaged couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss seek help from the residents of a nearby castle after a flat tire. But instead of the hoped-for opportunity to phone, they encounter plenty of unexpected things here: The eccentric alien scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter from the planet Transsexual from the galaxy Transylvania presents his roommates this night with his newest and so far greatest creation, the blonde and muscular test tube creature Rocky, which he created primarily for his - also sexual - pleasure. Brad and Janet involuntarily witness this revelation.
In the course of the plot, Rocky is born, loses his sexual innocence, suffers agonies of jealousy due to the infidelity of his creator and dies. Meanwhile, the couple's rigid values are challenged by the transvestite Frank N. Furter, who deceives and seduces both of them. Ultimately, Frank N. Furter provokes a revolt through his intemperance (for example, to create Rocky, he did not shy away from the murder of his ex-lover), which culminates in his disempowerment and killing and the return of the remaining aliens to their home planet while Brad and Janet are rescued.
Song title
- first act
- Science fiction double feature
- Dammit, Janet!
- There's a light
- The Time Warp
- Sweet transvestite
- The Sword of Damocles
- I can make you a man
- Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul
- I Can Make You a Man ( Reprise )
- Second act
- Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me
- Once in a while
- Eddie's teddy
- Planet Schmanet Janet
- Rose Tint My World
- fanfare
- Don't Dream It, Be It
- Wild and Untamed Thing
- I'm going home
- Superheroes
- Science Fiction Double Feature (Reprise)
Performances
The English premiere took place on June 16, 1973 at The Royal Court Theater Upstairs , the 63-seat studio stage of the Royal Court Theater in London , directed by Australian Jim Sharman , with Tim Curry as Frank-N-Furter and Richard O'Brien as Riff raff . Several times the play moved to larger halls and eventually conquered London's theater district in the West End. It was there for seven years.
The German-language premiere took place in the translation by Horst Königstein on January 20, 1980 in the Grillo-Theater in Essen under the direction of Walter Bockmayer . Frank-N-Furter was played by the US guest star Decoven C. Washington, who was the first black Frank-N-Furter to play and was the only one to get good reviews. Ensemble members played the other roles: Fritz Briesemeister acted as Riff-Raff and Jutta Bryde played Magenta . The staging fell through when criticized: "The product tastes like solid plastic, guaranteed germ-free" wrote the FAZ. Ariola made a record of the premiere, which was released on CD in 2002.
In Austria, the piece was first performed on December 18, 1983 under the title Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Wiener Schauspielhaus , directed by Michael Schottenberg and choreographed by Sam Cayne . Frank N. Furter was played by Erich Schleyer , Riff Raff by Alexander Goebel , Magenta by Debbie Brown, Janet Weiss by Beatrice Frey and Brad Majors by Toni Böhm . The musical became the greatest public success of the theater founded by Hans Gratzer , who wanted to perform it from the start, but did not get the rights at first because a European tour of the London production was planned. Souvenir items such as stickers, lighters and rice were sold in the foyer, dancing was allowed and singing along anyway. In the following season the piece was resumed on September 6, 1984 and played a total of 108 times.
Specialty
In both theatrical and cinema performances, the audience tends to participate enthusiastically and actively in the action on stage or in front of the screen. Disguises for the audience, utensils such as water pistols and newspapers (to emphasize the rain in the arrival scene of the very romantic couple Brad and Janet ), confetti, glow sticks and toilet paper rolls as well as singing and dancing along, especially at the song Time Warp , in the Rows of seats are part of the spectacle.
Many visitors experience the musical as an interactive performance in which many participate repeatedly. In the meantime there are several generations of active “spectator-sympathizers”.
The role of Usherette is taken over by the actress from Magenta in most productions, and “Eddie” is played by the same actor as “Dr. Everett Scott ”.
photos
Dr. Frank N. Furter
Magenta, Riff-Raff, Columbia
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Wolfgang Jansen: Cats & Co: History of the musical in German-speaking theater . Henschel, 2008, ISBN 978-3-89487-584-8 , pp. 1975 .
- ↑ Due date: January 20, 1980 - German stage premiere of the "Rocky Horror Show". In: WDR. January 20, 2015, accessed March 28, 2016 .
- ↑ The Rocky Horror Show> German Cast. In: castalbums.org. Retrieved March 28, 2016 .
- ↑ The Rocky Horror Show (Live in German) (1980). In: Rocky Music. Retrieved March 28, 2016 .
- ↑ Petra Paterno: "Your theater was like a magnet." The Wiener Schauspielhaus under Hans Gratzer from 1978 to 2001 . Dissertation for a doctorate in philosophy in theater, film and media studies. Vienna 2013, p. 45, 54, 55, 62, 274, 315, 316 ( othes.univie.ac.at [PDF; accessed on March 28, 2016]).