The Mocky Horror Show

‘The Mocky Horror Monsters’ Ball’ is a creepy, musical floorshow presented by Dark Psychic Productions and the Phoenix Theatre Inc. The performances are at the Memorial Hall, on the corner of Rockingham Road and Carrington Street, Hamilton Hill on the three last nights of the week, until 1^st September.

The two-hour production starts at 8.00 pm, but it is wise to arrive there quarter of an hour early to book your pizza, smallish but good quality, before being shown to your table. It is advisable to have something to eat before going this show as the food arrives at the interval, an hour into the programme.

A range of drinks and chips are available – at sensible prices – from the sinister bar, run by an old witch (Kylie Griffin - sorry). The menacing bouncer, Mikey (Marcelle Weber) is ever present, wielding his cookie knife and looking out for troublemakers.

The hall walls are completely covered by black drapes adorned with numerous cobwebs, skeletons and ghouls of every kind, a huge amount of work has gone into the fabulous decor. The tables are decorated with jars of ominous looking fluid. 

        The lights dim and to the strains of Paul Lawrence Olsen’s creepy and haunting music, enter Lady Scarlett (Amy Tyers) and Master Green (Ryan McNally). The Annual Transylvanian Monsters’ Ball has begun. We soon learn that this couple were once in love but the beautiful, nevertheless evil, Janice White (Jess Tarnowy) came between them. Janice was found dead at the end of last year’s Ball but no one has so far found out the murderer’s identity, your help is called for. 

       After the first rousing musical number, the strange Professor Plum (James Hynson) and his anorexic brother Rodney enter with their hilarious, leg-humping dog, Mustard (Andy Griffin). Just when you are about to declare that it is ‘the butler in the ballroom with the candlestick’, Frankn Peacock (Shaun Griffin) arrives in his very brief, stunning costume and high heels.

       As the tale progresses you are asked to fill in a question sheet, identifying tunes, observing the traits of the monsters and to answer simple questions about the show. There are several prizes for the winners.

Director Jayde Clark and writer Ryan McNally have certainly put in a great deal of work. The ambitious show is brought to life with the wonderful costumes produced by Kylie Griffin and Pauline Lawrence’s colourful lighting – for the whole hall, not simply the stage. The headsets had the occasional dropout, but generally worked much better than usual. The speech volume was a little too loud to hear the words of the songs and the clues, but who cares?

If you liked the ‘Rocky Horror Show’, this spoof with songs and tunes that you will recognise, will give you great pleasure. Some audience participation is requested - in a friendly manner – not my scene, but I didn’t mind too much as the atmosphere was jovial.

A slightly slow start, as up until now the cast didn’t have an audience to practise their antics on, but very rapidly they got into the swing of things and the show picked up pace. I am sure that as the season progresses it will turn into a fun-filled riot.