Yesterday's London Times

Don't Dream It, Be It: Rocky Horror, from London Stage to Cult Classic

October 27, 2023 Jen & Mares Episode 47

Let's do the Time Warp... it's the Rocky Horror episode!
Though many people have seen the cult classic film, few people know about its origins in a 63 seat London theatre.  
In this episode, we : 

  • delve into the creative team and cast responsible for its deviant mayhem, sharing their back stories and how they all converged in time and place in early '70s London,
  • take a trip back in time to its first performance,
  • follow the Rocky Horror road to Hollywood, 
  • pinpoint when this movie became a new creation based on a fan-conceived and fan-scripted interactive experience,
  • consider Rocky Horror Picture Show as a cosplay pioneer,  and
  • mark its legacy as young adult rite of passage, opening up ideas about identity, gender, and sexuality.


For some, Rocky Horror was a fun and raucous night out, for others, it provided a safe and dependable community for creativity and a sense of belonging.  Come along for the ride!

And come over to our SHOW NOTES for such fun bonus content!  You'll find:

  • rare photos from its original London run (spoiler: Tim Curry as a blonde?), 
  • a ticket to a performance 2 weeks into its initial run (costing 80 p - oh, the longing), 
  • original program, 
  • a link to the full original script, articles, and interviews,
  • and this episode's drink recipe, the "Hot-Pa-Toddy, Bless My Soul."