Rocky Horror Show magic opens £17m Fareham Live theatre

Rocky Horror Show magic took over at the opening of the £17 million, 800-seat Fareham Live on Tuesday night. The audience’s excitement was two-fold with this state-of-the-art theatre for Fareham and Jason Donovan.

Pizazz, showbiz glamour and Rocky Horror fancy dress were ready with a red carpet welcome complete with fire cannons and paparazzi.

After walking in, it was easy to see around, a bar and cafe on each floor and wide glass balustrade staircases to see the ebb and flow of theatregoers. The studio space upstairs was filled with guests hosted by the mayor, including Fareham’s MP Suella Braverman.

The wide and spacious proscenium stage theatre has comfy, folding seats with lots of leg, bag and drinks room. The temperature was just right and there was a good view from every seat, including nine wheelchair spots.

To mark this gala performance, like the best parties there was a surprise. A glitter cannon magically rained down red and silver confetti.

First performed in 1973, the Rocky Horror Show story is of a just engaged, Janet and Brad, played by Lauren Chia and Connor Carson, a young naïve couple who break down one dark and stormy night, ending up at a castle for refuge but are sexually seduced.

They meet Frank’s half-clad family and the “Sweet Transvestite” who created a muscled gym bunny, Rocky, a Frankenstein creature for his own pleasure.

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Neighbours heart-throb Jason Donovan is unrecognisable as the wonderfully flirty, funny, sexually deviant, chill Frank. The production vibe is of a pantomime, a bit of farce with fast and furious sexual tension oozing from its pores.

The whole audience needed little encouragement from the sassy Narrator, Nathan Caton to be upon their feet doing the Timewarp – it’s high energy, fun and a party atmosphere was the order of the night.

For me, it’s always about the loos and parking when I go out and both are superb, with Osborn Road car park free after 6pm. The toilets are next to the wide corridors that allow easy access, even during the interval rush.

If theatre is about creating magic, illusion and dreams then as Jason Donovan said: “Don’t dream it, be it.”