Review – The Rocky Horror Show – Congress Theatre, Eastbourne and National Tour

Cult musicals often survive on atmosphere as much as performance, and The Rocky Horror Show continues to attract enthusiastic audiences eager for a night of outrageous fun and audience participation. The latest touring production, starring, at some venues, Jason Donovan as Dr Frank-N-Furter, certainly delivers spectacle and energy, but it is a surprisingly uneven evening that too often mistakes volume for excitement.

There is no denying the affection that surrounds Richard O’Brien’s enduring musical. Before the show even begins, the theatre buzzes with anticipation as fans (including myself) arrive dressed in corsets, fishnets and sequins, ready to shout familiar callbacks and dance through “Time Warp”. The audience’s enthusiasm creates an infectious sense of occasion, and the production wisely encourages that communal spirit rather than attempting to reinvent the material.

Yet once the curtain rises, the show struggles to maintain momentum. Jason Donovan, whose casting clearly aims to add star appeal, delivers a performance that feels oddly restrained. Frank-N-Furter requires charisma powerful enough to dominate the stage from the moment he appears, balancing seduction, menace and absurd comedy in equal measure. Donovan occasionally captures flashes of that theatrical flamboyance, particularly during the larger ensemble numbers like “Sweet Transvestite”, but too often his performance lacks the magnetic unpredictability the role demands. Instead of commanding the stage, he sometimes appears to be merely moving through the motions of a well-established production.

Vocally, the problems become more noticeable. While Donovan remains an experienced performer with an easy stage presence, his singing is frequently overwhelmed by the sheer force of the band and amplified sound design. Throughout much of the evening, the music is played at such punishing volume that significant portions of the lyrics become difficult to distinguish. In a musical so dependent on wit, innuendo and audience familiarity with the songs, that imbalance becomes a genuine frustration.

The issue affects more than just Donovan’s performance. Across the cast, vocals are repeatedly swallowed by booming instrumentation and heavy amplification. Ensemble numbers retain their energy, but quieter scenes suffer badly, with dialogue and lyrics often lost beneath the relentless wall of sound. Rather than enhancing the rock-and-roll atmosphere, the excessive volume creates a strangely exhausting experience, particularly during the second half.

That is unfortunate because there are still enjoyable elements scattered throughout the production. James Bisp and Haley Flaherty bring appealing awkwardness to Brad and Janet, successfully charting the pair’s gradual descent from nervous innocence into liberated chaos. As The Narrator, Nathan Caton, works hard to move the story along, but even his performance seems, at times, a little “rushed”. The supporting cast, including Ryan Carter-Wilson as Riff Raff, Laura Bird as Magenta, Daisy Steere as Columbia and Morgan Jackson as Rocky, throws itself enthusiastically into the material, and the choreography embraces the joyful silliness audiences expect from Rocky Horror.

Visually, the production remains suitably garish and theatrical, leaning into the gothic camp aesthetic that has long defined the show. Neon lighting, dramatic costumes and knowingly cheap science-fiction flourishes preserve the B-movie charm at the heart of O’Brien’s creation. There is comfort in the production’s refusal to modernise itself too aggressively; Rocky Horror survives precisely because it understands its own ridiculousness.

Still, the evening never entirely escapes the sense that it is relying heavily on nostalgia and audience goodwill. For longtime fans, the communal experience and familiar songs may well be enough. The audience participation remains lively, and “Time Warp” inevitably brings the house to life regardless of the production’s shortcomings. But for newcomers, the show may feel more chaotic than captivating.

What ultimately prevents this production from fully succeeding is not the material itself but the execution. The Rocky Horror Show should feel anarchic yet controlled, outrageous yet sharply performed. Here, the imbalance between sound and performance leaves too much of the humour and characterisation buried beneath overpowering music. Combined with a central performance that never quite ignites, the result is an entertaining but frustrating production — a party that occasionally forgets to let its guests hear the songs.

***  Three Stars