The Rocky Horror Show—Lakewood Theatre Company—Lake Oswego

        “Damn It, Janet…It’s Alive!”

    This camp, cult, dark comedy, musical has music, lyrics and book by Richard O’Brien and is directed by John Oules, choreographed by Kevin Paul Clark & music direction by Darcy White.  It is playing at their space, 368 S. State St. in Lake Oswego.  For more information, go to their site at www.lakewood-center.org or call 503-635-3901.

    If you recognize the quotes above, you’ll get a flavor of the spoofy (and goofy) nature of this musical.  It does skirt adult issues, so not for everybody, but for anyone who was a fan of the 40’s Universal horror flicks and Hammer & Republic Studios Sci-fi films of the 50’s (as I was), you’re gonna love this take-off on those eras and genre.  There was a very successful film made of it with the amazing, Tim Curry, and then a dumper of a sequel called, “Shock Treatment.”

    To begin, it starts on a dark and stormy night, highlighted by a gloomy castle in the distance, where some odd experiments are occurring (as most stories of this type start) and have a Narrator (Lisa Knox & Richard Warren) fill in gaps in the plot.  So, sit back and relax (but not too much) and let the magic weave it’s web into your sub-conscious….

    It seems that a young, naïve couple, Brad (Colin Stephen Kane) and his finance’, Janet (Christine Greenhalgh) are to meet a scientist friend of theirs, Dr. Scott (Brian Burger), a tutor to Brad in high school, when their car breaks down in the forest.  Finding shelter in a dilapidated mansion, they are wary of the odd butler that greets them, Riff Raff (Alec Cameron Lugo) and his two major minions, the alluring, Magenta (Paige A. Hanna) and the sexy, Columbia (Michaela George).

    But the real host of the evening’s entertainment is the creepy, Dr. Frank N. Furter (Norman Wilson), a medical man with simple desires…to create a perfect man, Rocky (Cade Holbrook)…for himself.  But his true colors come out when he has to “sever” his relationship with an ole, rock-and-roll mate, Eddie (again, Burger).  And then he tries seducing…well, just about everyone…and then, they in turn…(did I tell you about the aliens yet?) well, you’ll just have to see it and figure it out for yourselves.  In the end, it is a journey about self-identity, your place in the scheme of things, love and the world(s) around you.  Or, if you will, as the Bard has said, “it is a tale, told by an idiot, signifying nothing!”

    This is a very fun production (for the discriminating), as Oules has directed it before, so is the master here, and it shows, with more than able assistance from White and Clark, as well as an outstanding cast.  Wilson is a gem, (as he always is in productions) and is a delicious, slutty, flighty, misunderstood scientist (aren’t they all?).  The young lovers (Kane & Greenhalgh) are often throw-away roles, simply because of the outrageous characters surrounding them, but in this case, they hold their own, as Brad has the right look, voice and demeanor for the role and Janet is convincingly virginal but with sex-appeal and also with a fine voice.

    Burger is a scream in his dual roles.  And I especially liked George as the vixen who loved “not wisely but too well,” and her rendition of “Sci-Fi Double Feature” song.  And Holbrook, as the title character, has the perfect look for the role.

    All the signature songs are here, “The Time Warp,” “Sweet Transvestite,” “I Can Make You A Man,” “Hot Patootie,” “Touch Me…,” and the touching, “I’m Going Home,” and all very well presented.  The set (Maria Vineo Edwards), lighting (Mark Lapierre) and costume (Jessica Miller) designs are all exceptional. too.  A fun time was had by all (well, at least, some of them).

    I highly recommend this show.  If you do choose to see it, please tell them Dennis sent you.

--DJS