Press Release: Adrian Galley returns to the sensational Rocky Horror Show as The Narrator

Since opening on 22 July for its return season at the Fugard Theatre, the Rocky Horror Show has once again been thrilling audiences night after night with its divine madness. Produced by Eric Abraham and the Fugard Theatre, the show set stages alight when it ran to capacity houses in Cape Town and Johannesburg in 2013/14 and now, by popular demand, it’s back!

The all star South African cast is led by Brendan van Rhyn as Dr. Frank 'N Furter and this week sees the return of actor Adrian Galley to the role of the quirky Narrator. In the three decades of his career as an actor, broadcast journalist, television writer and voice artist, Adrian has been using his mighty vocal muscles to entertain, enthrall and inform – and some of the stories have even been true. You ’re probably missing his familiar voice on 576 Cape Talk and 702 where he served many years as the morning news anchor. You may know him from his numerous appearances at Cape Town’s Maynardville Theatre, the latest being Cardenio. Or you may have seen him in movies like The Deal with William H. Macey and Meg Ryan or The Girl with Imelda Staunton. You may even catch him on late-night television re-run of the Steven Segal slapfest Mercenary for Justice. Adrian has also done plenty of song-and-dance: apart from a long stint with Not The Midnight Mass, he’s been in a number of musicals, including Grease and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Since his previous Fleur du Cap nominated outing as the Narrator, Adrian has played the role of Trevor Huddleston in the Mandela Trilogy at the Deutshes Theatre in Munich in June 2014 followed by a five week tour to Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff and Dublin with Cape Town Opera's production of Showboat.

Directed by Matthew Wild with musical direction by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder and choreography by Louisa Talbot, the Rocky Horror Show scooped three prestigious Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards in March 2014: for Brendan van Rhyn (Dr Frank 'N Furter) as Best Lead Actor in a Musical, Andrew Laubscher (Riff Raff) as best Supporting Actor in a Musical and for Daneel van der Walt as Best Supporting Actress in a Musical (Magenta). All three actors will reprise their roles, backed by an outstanding cast that includes Fleur du Cap 2013 nominees Paul du Toit as Brad, Jenny Stead as Janet, Dominique Maher as Columbia, and Adrian Galley as the Narrator who takes over from Terence Bridgett from 12 August onwards. Pierre van Heerden plays Dr Scott & Eddie, and Shaun Smit plays the buff, tanned blonde-haired Rocky. Singing sensation Lucy Tops returns to her role as the Usherette for the full Cape Town return season. Jenna Robinson-Child, Emile Doubell, Sven-Eric Muller, Chloe Perling, Ashleigh Butcher and Zolani Shangase magnificently support the core company. The live onstage band of Kate Borthwick, Rob Ogilvie, Zeke Le Grange, Alessandro Batazzi and Justin Maree, accompanies the cast every night as they belt out the iconic hit songs “Science Fiction/Double Feature”, “Dammit, Janet!”, “Sweet Transvestite” and “The Time Warp”.

Additional creative members on the production are Tina Driedijk; set (Suor Angelica, The Rake’s Progress, Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail), Penny Simpson; costume (Evita, Fiddler on the Roof , Man of La Mancha, Sunset Boulevard), Aki Khan; sound (for Eastern Acoustics) and Daniel Galloway; lighting (Kat & the Kings, The Kramer Petersen Songbook, A Human Being Died That Night). Both Penny Simpson and Daniel Galloway received nominations in their respective categories at this year’s Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards. Graphic Designs are by James Cooke and the Video Animation is designed by Anwar McWhite.

Show specific Participation Packs are a huge hit and make for even more fun as fabulously dressed up, fun loving theatre goers throw confetti, wave glowsticks and snap their plastic gloves as instructed by the Narrator. Participation Packs are for sale nightly at the theatre. There will be Official Dress Up Nights at each 8pm performance every Friday and Saturday night. The best-dressed person will win an apple iPad mini at the end of the season.

For The Rocky Horror Show fanatics there are also two special Halloween Performances on Friday 31 October at 7pm and 10:30pm.

The Rocky Horror Show performances runs until 2 November 2014, on Tuesday to Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 4pm and 8pm and Sundays at 5:30pm. Tickets ranging from R100 to R250 are available through Computicket or the Theatre box office on 021 461 4554. Tickets are flying so advance booking is highly recommended. Delicious snack baskets are available from the gorgeous Fugard bar (and roof top bar) before and after each performance. Please note the show rating is PG 16 and extensive strobe lighting is used in the production.

Press release provided by Allison Foat, DIVA PR.