onstagepittsburgh.com: Pittsburgh CLO’s production of The Rocky Horror Show, now running at the Greer Cabaret, delivers top-tier entertainment while adding its voice to the fight for diversity and respect. In these deeply conservative times—marked by direct attacks on the trans community through restrictions on rights, healthcare, and participation in sports, among other issues—Rocky Horror’s queer narrative feels politically urgent. Yet it does so without being didactic; instead, it bursts with laughter, desire, and a vibrant, glittering, multicolored energy.
3 comments:
This is so much fun to write about Rocky Horror for the second time after watching the film one time, I’m hoping to see it live soon. There is so much more to dissect from this plot than I initially took away. I love this story not only because of the comedic joyful moments, but also the understanding of fluidity in sexuality and gender expression accepted by all of the characters in the story. What I find so remarkable is how this story both criticizes heteronormative culture and includes Brad and Janet in their atypical world without any shame to their prior lifestyle beyond very lighthearted jokes. This story puts a positive joyous spin on exploring sexuality and gender in a very interactive way that encourages the audience to feel a certain way about the characters, almost feeling like the audience is guiding the narrative of who’s the protagonist. Without anyone screaming at Brad and Janet there wouldn’t be any pre-established way to think about them, but this audience’s role in the story helps encourage others to view the story in a way they otherwise might not.
The Rocky Horror Show is a perfect cult classic. I started watching/participating in Rocky Horror nights in high school and every year my appreciation for it grows. While queer theatrical spaces are not uncommon to find, the history and accessibility of Rocky Horror has been unmatched in my opinion. The accessibility being that you need very little to put on a successful version of Rocky Horror. You can do a shadow play and have your actors lip-sync to the movie that is playing behind them or you can stage your own production with no movie playing. There are different levels of callouts, some lists have a lot more than others and some include props, but in reality you only need to know a few simple callouts to still feel the camaraderie of the audience. You do not even need to have something physical to “hide” under from the rain. All in all, Rocky Horror is a big part of LGBTQ+ culture that I enjoy participating in and helping others navigate.
The “Rocky Horror Show”’s theatrical reputation and legacy is truly like no other. One of the first comments I ever heard about it was that it’s the kind of show where it’s “so bad and absurd, it’s incredible”. As such a pervasive show itself though, the themes and political narriatives within the show are incredibly important still, and especially at this point in time. In an era where queer stories have gone from highlighted to censored again, theatre itself has always been seen as a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community to express themselves and share stories. It’s sad that queer issues are being challenged so heavily right now, but that’s why I’m happy to see a review such as this emphasizing how that makes the Greer Cabaret’s production that much more special and topical right now.
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