The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a film like no other, a cult classic and iconic cultural landmark within the LGBTQ+ community. Think fishnets, glitter, drama, chaos, and unmatched levels of camp. While it is a piece of media that has been around for decades, its legacy lives on through its community of passionate and dedicated fans, continuing to breathe new life into the show so that it continues to hold relevance long into the 21st century.
Needless to say this is a film that had been on my watch list for years, and when it was announced that Showroom Cinema would be hosting an immersive Rocky Horror screening on the 1st of June I knew it was finally time. But despite all I had heard about it, nothing could have possibly prepared me for this event, truly a cinematic experience like no other.
The Showroom Cinema’s immersive viewing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show accompanied the film itself with a shadow cast, so talented and enthusiastic not even wardrobe malfunctions could stop them, who took the scenes from the screen and recreated them on the stage below in real time. They mirrored the film in such perfect detail, not a single facial expression or character transition forgotten, but not without some unique interpretations to keep the audience on their toes. The unmatched, magnetic energy of the costumed actors couldn’t be held within the confines of the stage, as their performances extended across the entire room followed by a skillfully-manned spotlight and the occasional spurt of bubbles, and heads turned throughout so as not to miss a moment of the action.
Arguably one of the most unique aspects of this event, though, was the crowd, which was far from quiet. For the first time in any cinema screening I’d ever been to, audience participation was not only allowed but highly encouraged as goodie bags filled with props and instructions on crowd chants were handed to us before we’d even taken our seats. Confetti was thrown, jokes were shouted at the screen and gloves were snapped in time with Dr Frank-n-Furter. Combined with the themed cocktails being offered at the bar and the costume contest after the film, the team of organisers and actors created an immersive experience that blurred the lines between performer and spectator.
Brought to life for the third year running, but for its first ever Pride Month production, by the University of Sheffield’s very own Horror Society in collaboration with Drag Society and the LGBTQ+ Committee, there was certainly an incredible team behind the production of this event. As well as this, each ticket sale contributed to proceeds being donated to Sheffield-based LGBTQ+ charity SAYiT, an organisation enacting real, incredible change in the local community.
The Showroom Cinema interactive screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show was an amalgamation of so many amazing people which brought together Sheffield’s queerest and campest for a night of perfectly balanced precision and chaos. I can safely say that myself and many others will be waiting eagerly with antici…pation for the next time we can all gather with a Planet-Schmanet-Janet cocktail and a bag of goodies each, ready to experience it all over again!
Rating: ★★★★★
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadow Cast Charity Screening took place on June 1st at the Showroom Cinema
