Amidst all the buzz swirling around the time warp that is invading Hart House Theatre (for an unprecedented three-week run), director Elenna Mosoff and the UC Follies crew have once again raised the bar with this ghoulish glam-jam.
In order to move beyond the innocent suggestions of her delightful 2004 production of A Chorus Line, and possibly to offset the pious nature of last season’s ecclesiastic and successful “nod to God” musical Godspell, Mosoff has decided to bring to life the most raunchy, shameless, taboo-violating sex-romp in the entire canon of musical theatre, The Rocky Horror Show. Bravo. There’s really nothing like a bold and ambitious directorial choice to turn the heads of Toronto theatre patrons towards the student stage.
The production does an excellent job of marrying the 1975 film version with the world of musical theatre. Audience participation in the form of the now-famous fan “call outs,” lighter-waving, random heckling, and sexy audience attire were all permitted (and encouraged) by the Follies. Mosoff even cast a member of Toronto’s famous Rocky Horror Picture Show “shadow cast,” Nancy Hitzig, to play the MC-a nice touch sure to attract loads of longtime devotees to her production.
Technically, the show was nearly flawless. The excellent lighting design was so dramatic it was sometimes the sole set piece, and was often used to drastically change the mood of the staging. Equally impressive was the effective/mishap-free use of a fog machine in combination with a neat lighting trick to create a cool scene change late in the second act. The symmetrical video components were also a nice touch.
Leading the strong ensemble cast, Andrew Moyes nearly stole the show with his captivating (and dominating), technically perfect performance in the enigmatic role of the transvestite scientist from the planet Transsexual (in the galaxy Transylvania), Dr. Frank N. Furter. The physically striking Moyes delivered a smooth, confident and commanding performance that left one wondering, “Who the hell is Tim Curry, anyway?”
Also working to Moyes’ advantage were the spectacular costumes. Generally adhering to the sexy idea “less is more,” the costume designs were impressive because they were nuanced with cool and subtle touches. Everything from the single giant peacock feather that made Dr. Frank N. Furter appear slightly like a Mohawk warrior to the vintage “Zero” t-shirt (“The world is a vampire,” get it?) worn by the boorish rocker Eddie was obviously well thought out and an asset to the overall production.
As with any production, there were a few minor flaws (and really only for those who look for that sort of thing), mainly in the form of vocal pitch issues and some slipped enunciation in the supporting cast, which were most likely just a case of opening-night jitters. These minor issues did not seem to slow, hamper, or in any other way affect the high energy and sexual electricity that the show exuded, however.
Also of note were the strong performances by both Allison Leggatt and Leonard Elias in their roles of the corrupted virgins Janet and Brad. Although they couldn’t touch Moyes, they were great at creating interesting moments (particularly their bit at the door to the castle) between the two of them while all alone or surrounded by aliens.
By show’s end, it was obvious that Mosoff and the Follies had soundly trumped their previous efforts, and were once again at the reins of a successful student production that could easily pass for a professional one.
