Midway through The Rocky Horror Show, the title character — a muscle-bound, golden-haired love child manufactured in a lab — says, “I feel that all is not well here … I have a feeling of foreboding.” Rocky is assessing his situation with the sweetly nave Janet, not critiquing the production in which they are performing at Northern Kentucky University. But his observation applies.
While NKU’s staging of this campy show about intergalactic transsexuals from a forbidden planet seeking orgiastic satisfaction on earth is full of flash and trash, it’s missing the sustained energy and polish that should make Rocky Horror a 90-minute funhouse of crazy tunes and sci-fi clichés able to crank up audiences into a frenzy.
Brendon North gives mad scientist Frank-N-Furter the diva treatment the role requires — corset, mesh stockings, high heels and all — and he’s got a fine voice. Drew Davidson plays the dimwitted (but good-looking) “monster,” who’s anything but a horror, and his vocals make the grade, too, as do those by Tim Hein, Frank’s quirky hunchbacked assistant, Riff Raff.
Rocky Horror continues at NKU through Nov. 7. Go here to read Rick Pender’s full review and to get ticket/venue details.
This article appears in Oct 27 – Nov 2, 2010.
