Let’s Do The Time Warp Again! Rocky Horror Wows at the Provincetown Theater

Fifty years is a long time to stay edgy, but there’s nothing stodgy about Provincetown Theater’s new production of The Rocky Horror Show; in fact, it feels as fresh and absurdly funny—and possibly even more fun—as the first time any of us saw it.

For the new people in the room, Rocky Horror is an odd campy spoof of old B-movies (but with a lot better music) that tells the story of a naïve young couple inadvertently crashing a sexy monster party hosted by aliens.

Okay, no-one said it has to make sense. What it is, is about total abandon, having fun and being ridiculous, and owning it all in a way that’s irresistible.

Director David Drake has assembled a cast that is, by and large, new to Provincetown— which may be part of the fresh feel to the show—and he’s giving us Rocky Horror in ways we may not have anticipated. Iconic songs and legendary characters are brought to life by truly wonderful triple-threat actors who manage to simultaneously evoke the feeling of nostalgia for those who have seen the show before while also bringing something new and unexpected to the table.

It starts with the set. Ellen Rousseau has again made magic, this time with the requisite creepy blacks and purples of the horror genre. It’s theatre in the round, with tall Gothic doors and a mad-scientist console and a Boris Karloff-esque wall of switches; there are even plasma balls around the circle of the ceiling, used to amazing effect by lighting designer Stephen Petrelli.

And the opening is wonderfully spooky, as Magenta (Hilarie Tamar), Columbia (Devon Whitney) and Riff Raff (Loren Lee) circle the stage in black robes, flashlights lighting faces from below—and launch into Science Fiction Double Feature.

Zach Johnson and Madison Mayer perfectly embody the innocent but easily corrupted couple Brad and Janet with natural sweetness. They both get opportunities to showcase seriously impressive voices, and they have fantastic chemistry, possibly in part because they are a couple in real life; they never stop being adorable, whether in their ‘50s good-kids outfits or in full lingerie (and what a great job designer Thom Markee did with these costumes!).

But I have to stop here and just say: Oh-my-God: Brad. It’s not just that Johnson has a magnificent voice (he does), but that every single second he’s onstage he is perfect. You could probably watch only his face from beginning to end to follow the story and his engagement in it. His expressions run the gamut from shocked to enthralled, from bemused to tarnished, and each is more animated than the last. And his gorgeous rendition of Once in a While gives goosebumps.

Mad scientist and transvestite Frank N Furter, a role made iconic in the film by Tim Curry and here played by Boy Radio, is glamorous, physically imposing, and gorgeous (and does things in platform heels most of us wouldn’t think of attempting in flats). Evan Montgomery’s Rocky—complete with floppy boy-band hair—transforms seamlessly from puppet-like to sentient, and his split-brain twin Eddie (Alex Sesenton) does an amazing full-throated rendition of Hot Patootie Bless My Soul that has the room rocking.

While Tamar and Whitney are each both sexy and creepy—an unbeatable combination—Lee’s handyman/butler Riff Raff comes close to stealing the show (just behind Oh-my-God: Brad). Leaning more toward sensuality than the standard sci-fi/horror character portrayal, somewhat gender-fluid, he brings a unique elegance and style to the role.

As both narrator and music director, musician John Thomas shines. The music is always a high point of Provincetown Theater productions, and this band (Thomas, Sue Goldberg, Austin Smith and Joy Hoyt) delivers energy and momentum.

It’s a summer for cult classics on the Cape, and for sheer fun it’s hard to beat Rocky Horror. You won’t be allowed to fling rice, but you will be transported and entertained, treated to a past favorite that is magic escapism for 2024. David Drake and the Provincetown Theater have done it again, given us perfect summer fare with an unforgettable and marvelous show.

Review by Jeannette de Beauvoir

Photos by Bob Tucker/Focalpoint

Rocky Horror Show

July 15-September 5

Mondays-Thursdays, 7pm

Provincetowntheater.org