Collector's Corner Rocky Horror on the Isle of Man

Back of the flyer for the 2004 production of Rocky at the Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, Isle of Man.

The back of the flyer wrongly publicises the show as "Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Big 30 Anniversary Show."

The Production at the Gaiety Theatre, was a totally new production of the show and had a completely new cast, band, set, costumes, choreographer and director: Christopher Durham.

The production followed the normal plot of the show with the songs in the now accepted familiar order - Timewarp coming before Sweet T, (this had been swapped back to the original 1973 order or Sweet T first then Timewarp for early part of the Big 30 production.) The set was basic and the costumes and wigs were not of the same West End production value of the UK tour.

The Isle of Man at the time was not generally seen as progressive as the UK in certain social matters or equality legislation so it was not surprising that the production was a slightly toned down version of the show, with the sexual elements played not quite as full on as in previous UK tours. Matthew James' Frank N Furter was actually quite a nice version of the character not as hard edged as other Franks like say Peter Blake or Daniel Abineri and not played as a same sex bomb as say David Bedella. While Brad and Janet's sexual transformation was there but not as real in other productions.

A telling note, was Frank N Furters introduction to the floorshow, "Our guest shall entertain us with a Floorshow, Fashion show..." Probably to reassure the audience that these characters where not really all getting off on their new found liberation, rather, Frank just wanted to have a fashion parade in the early hours of that late November evening...?

Text and Image of flyer by fan club rep Kev