Let’s do the time warp again
MAGALIESSIG - Get ready to scream from delight, as Rocky Horror makes its way to Montecasino.
It was bound to happen.
Brendan van Ruyn last made an appearance at Montecasino during last year’s engagement of Madame Zingara, dolled up in drag as his alter-ego Cathy Specific. Van Ruyn is finally gracing the north with his presence again, but swapping the blonde wig and glittering evening-wear for lace corsets and big pearls as he appears on Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre’s stage as Dr Frank-N-Furter.
Since Richard O’Brien’s rock musical hit stages in the ’70s, the character has become a pop-culture phenomenon, and van Ruyn seems born to play the role to South African audiences.
Cape Town’s Fugard Theatre’s production of this global musical sensation is currently enjoying a sold out season. The production has played to capacity houses at every performance since opening in July this year. To meet the massive demand for tickets, the Fugard Theatre recently announced one final Cape Town extension which will see the production have its final curtain call in the Mother City on 12 January 2014.
The Fugard Theatre’s executive director Daniel Galloway said, “Never in our wildest dreams did we think that our production of Rocky Horror would create this sort of response from our audiences. We knew it would be popular but we are literally, night after night, overwhelmed by the incredible audience response. For some time now we have noticed a loud call from Joburg for our show to travel up north… Well, here we come!”
Produced by Eric Abraham and the Fugard Theatre, and directed by Matthew Wild, media have garnered the production with great acclaim. Underlying praise has been the electrifying performances by the cast.
Led by van Rhyn as Dr Frank-N-Furter and Paul du Toit as Brad, it also stars Andrew Laubscher as Riff Raff, Pierre van Heerden in the duel role of Dr Scott and Eddie, Daneel van der Walt as Magenta, Dominique Maher as Columbia, Adrian Galley as the Narrator and Shaun Smit as the slab of muscle known as Rocky. A live onstage band will accompany the cast as they belt out the iconic hit songs. Show-specific participation packs will also be available, and there will be official dress up nights at each 8pm performance on every Friday and Saturday night beginning on Friday 31 January.
Bookings for the Joburg season of are now open.
Details: 011-511-1818.
