The Rocky Horror Show
Congress Theatre, Eastbourne.
Until Saturday 23rd May.
I have reviewed The Rocky Horror Show, many times and seen it many more. It was the first ‘outrageous’ show I saw in the 80s and it was such a refreshing change from the Rogers and Hammerstein / Cole Porter shows that were on the circuit and it blew my teenage mind and I became a hardcore fan.
The last few times I have caught The Rocky Horror Show have been in Brighton and I have maintained that it was always the perfect place to see it, given their more than enthusiastic audiences. Last night I ventured just 24 miles along the coast from Brighton to the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne to see Jason Donovan take the helm as the legendary Frank-n-Furter.
If you are unfamiliar with the Rocky Horror, where have you been over the last 50 years? I shall leave you to look it up on Wikipedia or read our reviews. What I can tell you is that the energy and lustre of the show is everlasting and it feels as contemporary today as when it opened as a fringe show all those years ago.
The majority of last night’s audience in Eastbourne were either new to the Rocky Horror phenomenon or had bought tickets not expecting the headliner to be dressed quite so differently to Scott Robinson. Despite all seeming to enjoy it, the traditional heckling was virtually non-existent and the few who did know how to react to the show soon quietened. For probably the first time, I actually watched the Rocky Horror as a stage show rather than experienced it. I truly felt sorry for the cast not having the audience’s quips to respond to, but they adapted admirably and the show was still a joy to behold.
The more experienced cast members honed their expertise masterfully yet the newer additions need to enunciate more, particularly key phrases in the script. The characters in the Rocky Horror are tried and tested and don’t need to have a new spin put on them. The usually squeaky clean Jason Donovan, who happens to be no stranger to drag (Priscilla), managed to raise a few eyebrows amongst his audience as he delved into the deprived world of Frank-N-Furter. I am sure he is having a blast even though it is not what his core fan base are used to.
The Rocky Horror is usually an audience particip…ation show yet I discovered it stands up quite well as a theatrical performance as well. Bravo!
The Rocky Horror Show is playing at the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne until Saturday 23rd May 2026
Reviewer: Sammi O’Neill
⭐⭐⭐
Oh, I and do still like Rogers and Hammerstein / Cole Porter.