Olivia Barone
Editor in Chief
The following contains spoilers for the 1975 release: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
RIC welcomed shadowcast RKO Army to the campus stage to perform their rendition of cult-classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” where the 1975 film was rejuvenated live for a student audience. Not only was the film projected in Gaige Hall for all to see but was reenacted by RKO’s talented cast, immersing RIC in the glamorous but not-so-scary spoof on pulp fiction.
Picture this: an unsuspecting couple finds themselves seeking refuge from a storm in a peculiar-looking castle only to find themselves entangled in the experiments of a mad-scientist rocking thigh-highs and pearls. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) welcomes Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) and fiancé Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) into his unconventional laboratory as he shocks his tall, blond and toned revival of Frankenstein’s monster to life: the titular Rocky Horror (Peter Hinwood). A few musical numbers and murders later and both Janet and Brad are now a part of a four-sided love affair with Frank-N-Furter and his creation, Rocky. But there is no escape for the young couple even after Frank-N-Furter is killed by aliens from his home planet and his castle is lifted into space, leaving Brad and Janet adorned in cabaret costumes and seemingly brain-washed as they crawl through a swath of fog, singing about the insignificance of time and space.
Yes, you read that right. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was as bizarre as it sounds. I was warned of the plot’s whip-lash going in but chose to watch completely blind. Having never seen a shadowcast before I figured that this cult-classic would be an iconic first– and I was right.
A shadowcast features a group of actors acting alongside a film on screen. They dress up, lip sync and serve to immerse the audience in the film, providing a four-dimensional experience. The shadowcast RKO Army, founded in 1981, is based in Rhode Island but can be found performing all over New England. The non-profit theatrical troupe is known for their rendition of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” but showcases other performances such as “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “The Genetic Opera” and their own “RKO Horror Picture Show.”
This event was the first of its kind at RIC, presented by campus’s own Ocean State Film Society, 90.7 WXIN and Anchor TV. The three student organizations in collaboration with RKO Army made for a unique experience that both newcomers and committed fans of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” could enjoy. I quickly learned that seeing the film more than once was common among fans– some in RIC’s audience had seen the shadowcast upwards of 10 times. Meanwhile, “virgins,” to the show that is, were brought on stage to be officially welcomed into the community.
Viewing “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with RKO Army was unlike seeing a film in theaters. As I walked into Gaige, I picked up my paper-bag of props complete with everything I would need to see the film: a newspaper to keep me safe from the storm that drove Janet and Brad into Frank’s castle, a party hat to wear during dinner with the mad-scientist, a cut-out of toast to toss into the air during the, well, toast, a roll of toilet paper to throw and other strange references to the film that made for an interactive experience. All the while, my friends and I were encouraged to heckle, laugh and dance throughout the showing.
There is no way to describe “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” simply. There is also no way to take it for anything other than what it is: weird. Major plot points often happen for no reason, its characters are over-the-top and its ending absurd but the inability to take the film seriously is what made it fun to watch and made me understand why fans return again and again– shadowcast or not.
RIC thanks RKO Army for an unforgettable performance. To know more about events on campus, keep up with The Anchor for coverage as we count down to the end of the semester.