The Rocky Horror Show Is Coming To Blow You Away!
Produced by Eric Abraham and the Fugard Theatre, Richard O’Brien’s iconic smash hit rock musical The Rocky Horror Show which has set Cape Town alight for months, is set to come to Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre in January 2014!
The Fugard Theatre’s production of this global musical sensation enjoyed a sold out season at the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town playing to over 60 000 people. The production played to capacity houses at every performance since opening on the 10th July 2013 and to meet the massive demand for tickets, the Fugard Theatre announced no less than three extensions.
The Rocky Horror Show transfers and opens at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre in Johannesburg on the 24th January 2014 for a very limited 10 week season only. The production must close on Sunday 30 March 2014.
The Rocky Horror Show, directed by Matthew Wild, has taken the Mother City by storm and has received rave reviews across the board.
The Fugard Theatre’s Executive Director Daniel Galloway said, “Never in our wildest dreams did we think that our production of Rocky Horror would create this sort of response from our audiences. We knew it would be popular but we were literally, night after night, overwhelmed by the incredible audience response. For some time now we have noticed a loud call from Joburg for our show to travel up North … so, here we come!”
The media have garnered the Production with great acclaim:
The Cape Times called it a “fabulously riotous night of over-the-top-fun…. you’ll come out the other side of this performance gasping for air”
The Cape Argus gave it 4 stars and called it “Sheer Enjoyment”.
The Sunday Times summed it up as ” … down and dirty, camp and cult and fun, fun fun”.
While whatsonincapetown.co.za simply declared it “the hottest show on stage this season” and went on to say “this is more than a show, it is a delicious cult classic of epic proportions, executed in finest form”.
“Louder, prouder, and more loveable than ever” is how Eye Witness News described it with Die Burger weighing in with a 5 star review claiming “niks wat skaaf of skuur nie … dit is ‘n seepgladde produksie”.
Cape Town Travel declared it a “Must See”, bizcommunity.co.za said it was “jaw-dropping awesomeness from start to finish…out of this world cast…”, S.A. Broadway World called it “… an astounding experience”, The next 48 Hours put it simply with “… the Fugard nails it!”; and as thewritingstudiostudio.co.za summed it up with “…definitely a night out that you will remember for a very long time!”
The Rocky Horror Show’s superb all-South African cast is led by Brendan van Rhyn as Dr Frank-N-Furter and Paul du Toit as Brad. Andrew Laubscher’s Riff Raff has received excellent acclaim. Pierre van Heerden (Dr Scott / Eddie), Daneel van der Walt (Magenta), Dominique Maher (Columbia), Adrian Galley (Narrator) and Shaun Smit (Rocky) make up the rest of the core company with wonderful support from Angela Inglis, Tarquinn Whitebooi, Emile Doubell and Zolani Shangase. Johannesburg based Sharon Spiegel-Wagner (Janet), Stefania du Toit (Phantom) and Joanna Abatzoglou (Usherette) join the Company for the Joburg season. The live onstage band accompanies the cast every night as they belt out the iconic hit songs “Science Fiction/Double Feature”, “Dammit, Janet!”, “Sweet Transvestite” and “The Time Warp” and has audiences rocking in their seats night after night.
Designers on the production are Tina Driedijk, set (Suor Angelica, The Rake’s Progress, Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail), Penny Simpson, costume (Evita, Fiddler on the Roof , Man of La Mancha and Sunset Boulevard ), Aki Khan, sound (for Eastern Acoustics) and Daniel Galloway, lighting (Kat & the Kings, The Kramer Petersen Songbook, Tango Nights). Musical Supervision is by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder (Dirty Dancing, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair, Sunset Boulevard, Chess, High School Musical, Grease and Evita) and Musical Direction is by Stefan Lombard (Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Cabaret). Choreography is by Louisa Talbot (Resident Choreographer We Will Rock You and High School Musical, Soloist for The Cape Dance Company and Bovim Ballet). Graphic Designs are by James Cooke and the Video Animation is designed by Anwar McWhite.
Show specific Participation Packs, for sale at each performance, are a huge hit and make for even more fun as theatre goers throw confetti, wave glowsticks and snap their plastic gloves as instructed by the Narrator. Dressing up for every performance has proven very popular amongst audience members – with fishnets, leather and feather boas a plenty!
There will be official dress up nights at each 8pm performance on every Friday and Saturday night beginning on Friday 31 January 2014! So get a group together, plan those outfits and book your tickets today!
Bookings for the short Joburg season of The Rocky Horror Show are now open – and tickets will move fast so grab yours today. Performances at the Montecasino Theatre run Tuesday to Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 4pm and 8pm and Sundays at 2pm and 6pm. Tickets ranging from R100 to R350 are available through Computicket or the Theatre box office on 011 511 1818.
The producers recommend an age restriction of no under 16. Strobe lighting is used extensively in the production.
