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.

Considering these guys threw this show together in less than three weeks, it is a great show.

Take a Zombie whom is having a questionable relationship with a Vampire, a strangely endearing yet dysfunctional alien, with a pair of glasses on a stick/rod for a brother, a Werewolf (pet to said Vampire… erm pet?) whom is more like an excitable Jack-Russel than a bloodthirsty hound of the night, the spirit of last-years hot date, and a Frankenfurta Driod-Bot that had been taking lessons from C3P0, and you have the full compliment of characters. Oh, and the disembodied voice of the Master.

Apart from the initial technical problems (which Godron highlighted) which were corrected as the show went on, and there was a few moments early on which are most likely a reflection of the rushed rehearsals and setup, there are some fun moments to be had.

Not your typical theatrical night out, be prepared for some Audience Participation. Did I say some participation? I meant a lot. Some patrons really got in to the spirit dressing up for the evening, and I suggest that if you like Rocky Horror, Cluedo, Dancing and singing along, that you do make some effort to go in cos-play. It is Dinner theatre, and dinner in the form of a variety of Pizzas, where the stage is here there and everywhere.

While I could get picky about a few things (theatrical phlistine that I am), most of it was teething issues, and at the end of the night, when you see the bulk of the audience lining up to have their photo taken with members of the cast, laughing, smiling, being loud... then it really doesn't matter.

All in all it is a great night out, especially with friends.

Absit invidia (and DFT :nono:)

Jeff Watkins