Rocky Horror Show at Encore! Theater in Gig Harbor

April 28, 8:16 AMSeattle Fine Arts ExaminerSteve Clare

“Come to the lab and see what’s on the slab.” Or if you’re just looking for a raunchy good time, the Rocky Horror Show at Encore! Theater in Gig Harbor is the place to go! Renowned as one of the most inappropriate shows to ever grace the screen and stage, this delightfully devilish production brought out the best (or should I say worst) of both the audience and the cast members. As a small theater, it was exciting to be sitting only feet away from the performers in such an “intimate” venue, yet I was concerned that with a smaller audience, the energy of the classic audience participation on which the Rocky Horror Picture Show experience depends might be lacking. However, the audience played along the entire time with enthusiasm, and prop bags were sold at the door for only five dollars. So leave the kids at home, and come prepared for an anything-goes experience!

The musical aspect of the play was highly impressive, with a live band jamming out in one corner of the room. The singers’ quality matched despite the fact that they were without microphones, leaving them to have to use some powerhouse vocals to project over the band. I was able to follow along with every word sung and, thus, also the wacky story, which was definitely saying something after viewing the movie version twice and still not knowing what was going on. Columbia set the tone with the opening song “Science Fiction Double Feature” which she somehow managed to do creepy, sexy, and jazzy all at the same time while stripping down to lingerie. Particularly noteworthy was the mischievous sibling pair, Riff Raff and Magenta. When Riff Raff first enters, opening the door and leading the unsuspecting couple into the devious Frank-n-Furter’s castle, everything from his manner to the way he sucks the air in between his teeth make you want to giggle and draw back with caution at the same time. Magenta was excellent at matching his energy (and almost even the hiss) with a sexy flair of her own. Brad and Janet made an excellent duo as well, with the only catch being the somewhat slight age difference (Brad looks about 20, Janet 30) and possibly Janet’s singing quality, which, however, was made up for by her excellent acting.

The “creature,” a.k.a. Rocky, was also a crowd-pleaser. This blond, muscular man in a gold thong bursts out of his box of creation and jumps onto stage keeping up a ridiculous, over-the-top manner for the rest of the show, flexing his muscles at perfect intervals. Frank-n-Furter, played by a tall gentleman in garters kept a stature that made him stand out from the crowd. In my opinion, though, he played the part a bit too standoffish as opposed to an in-your-face character, as I would have expected. Yet, when you’re comparing to the “legendary” screen performance of Tim Curry, it is a hard act to follow; thus, I give him props. The German doctor, Dr. Scott (“Great Scott!”), wheeled around the stage frantically in his wheelchair spouting lines in an amusingly terrible German accent, and perfectly executed the moment near the end where he pulls off the blanket covering his legs revealing garters and fishnets to join in with the drag kick-line from his chair

The pace of the performance was perfect, with the entertaining, random appearances of the Narrator dressed in a professor get-up (to the cries of “Boooring!” and “Get on with it!”). Furthermore, the ensemble was very engaging and always giving a lot of intensity. A few times the cast goes through the audience, getting “up-close-and-personal,” as you might say, which was excellent fun, pulling you into the show as well as getting you ready for the style of the play. The Time Warp, probably the most anticipated number, was happily the best of them all; they pulled out all the stops with several psychedelic light effects and even a disco-ball! The combination of ensemble energy, singing quality, and audience engagement made this performance worth it. While there was definitely a more “home-made” feel to it, coming from a smaller theater, I believe this only enhanced the experience. Prepare to be thoroughly appalled and entertained! Remember, “It’s just a jump to the left."

Cast: Frank-n-Furter: Brian Hoffmeister, James Knight; Brad Majors: Jeffrey Paine; Janet Weiss: Jenifer Rifenbery; Magenta: Brittany Johnson, Katie Leacy; Riff Raff: Nathan Rogers, Grant Troyer; Columbia: Cyndi Fisher; Eddie: Matt Griffis; Dr. Scott: Duane Petersen; Rocky: Rex Davison; The Narrator: Jan Jensen.