MELBOURNE

SYDNEY

When I was 17 years old in January 1988, I went to Seagull's Leagues Club in Tweed Heads, of all places, to see a musical play. My girlfriend at the time, was in Hospital and couldn't go. I went with my Mum, a lover of Musical theatre for many years. She didn't know much about this one except for one of the songs which was a popular hit a few years earlier. The show was called The Rocky Horror Show. I had seen the film and loved it. I owned the LP record and played it often. Being interested in how other performers interpret roles, i bought the Original Australian Cast LP from 1974. The songs were in different order, the lyrics in key songs were different and it was just so robust and ballsy. It became my favourite LP to play on my little Tandy record player. When i sat down in my seat to see the show with Mum, i was expecting the film on stage. Nothing could have prepared me for what i saw. It was wild! It was raucous! It was thoroughly invigorating. The musical arrangements were the same as the Oz LP. Grunty guitar riffs and tight drums and bass. The cast were perfect. There was a young fellow called Russell Crowe, the great Gordon Chater, and as Frank, the incredible Daniel Abineri. I was completely absorbed in what i saw and heard that night. The film paled in comparison. I still enjoyed it, but it wasn't the same as seeing it done right as it should be. I have seen the film countless times, sometimes with audience participation and shadow casts and i don't enjoy those screenings as much as just watching the film as a film. I have seen various productions live since my first time in 1988 and they all pale into insignificance when i remember seeing Daniel, Gordon, Russell and the rest of the truly great cast of that totally awesome production. It was rawer, it was ballsier, it was ruder, the t-shirts on sale said "The Rocky Horror Show, more pussy than Cats." I can't believe how awful the show is now and i am so pleased that i got to see it as it was intended, rather than the play of a film of a play that it is now. Mum loved it!! She was in a bit of shock at the end, but she had a blast. There is this guy named Mark Jabara Ellison who has created the most incredible website that explains Australia's love affair with Rocky. Anyone who enjoys the show as it is now should check out the site,http://www.ozrockyhorror.com/
and absorb all the interesting information about the show that Mark has provided.
It's the most comprehensive online resource for The Rocky Horror Show and is maintained and updated by it's brilliant creator to provide a treasure trove of info for everyone from the neophyte to the seasoned veteran fan. Check it out. You'll love it!!

Photo courtesy: Ruth Fink-Winter/Crazed Imaginations

The Allen's brand dates back to 1891 as a maker of confectionary for Australia. The company made many of the sweets that were purchased, over decades, at cinema refreshment bars and are most famous in this regard for their Jaffa's, which being chocolate encased in a solid orange shell, were perfect for rolling down theatre aisles. The other iconic Allen's bagged lollies sold at the cinema were FANTALES; a hard caramel square covered in milk chocolate and wrapped in waxed paper that had information about different movie stars printed on each wrapper. As the information was rarely updated, it was not uncommon to be reading about stars from a bygone era. Fantales still look and taste the same today, but the information is more up to date, if only slightly. Here is Russell Crowe's mini-biography according to Fantales!