The Rocky Horror Picture Show is always an experience. That’s how my friends describe it to people who’ve never seen it before. It’s not a great film – in fact, the entire point of going to Rocky Horror isn’t even to see the actual movie. It’s for the experience, the good and the bad. One thing, however, is for certain: Rocky Horror gets better and better the more you attend.
This year, I went with a big group. We had struggled finding seats last year with just four people, so we decided to arrive even earlier to ensure that we had a row to ourselves. That was a mistake, seeing as the show didn’t start until at least 10:30. Despite this, we were entertained by a talented organ player at the front of the theater, which added some antici…pation to our wait.
Once the show was about to start, the audience screamed their encouragement. Most everyone was more than ready, so “encouragement” was anything from clapping and screaming to jumping around and throwing toilet paper in the air. A lot of people were also dressed up to some degree, so we were surrounded by dozens of very enthusiastic Rockys, Janets, and Columbias.
My favorite thing about Rocky Horror is the audience interaction. It’s not unusual to hear people shout during the film, almost like they’re having a conversation with the characters. There are some scripted shout-outs, too. For instance, whenever Brad (“Asshole!”) or Janet (“Slut!”) say their names, it’s very clear what the audience thinks of them.
There is also a lot of participation during songs. The image below was taken during There’s A Light. Despite the song being musically mediocre (in my opinion), the lights dancing off the already elaborate, golden walls of The Michigan Theater was beautiful.
The Time Warp is the commonplace Rocky Horror favorite, featuring its own dance and a melody that gets stuck in your head for months afterward. When the song started, everyone immediately got to their feet in preparation. The tension in the room during the first verses was almost tangible, everyone awaiting the chorus.
It’s always amusing to listen to the reactions of first-time viewers (“virgins”) after the show. These reactions often range from confusion, amusement, and horror (perhaps the directors anticipated this while naming their creation). The people I talked with seemed to enjoy their experience, but I overheard some more negative responses as we navigated our way through the crowd.
Despite this, I know I’ll be back for next year, if not before! I have still never seen Rocky Horror with a shadow cast, and I would love to see what that’s like sometime soon. Even without a shadow cast, though, the Rocky Horror experience is a unique one that I won’t easily give up.
