So before I ate my weight in Reese’s cups and Almond Joys, I saw a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at Cedar Lee Theatre over the weekend. This was not my first experience, but I brought along the girlfriend to see her reaction. Before the show even started we were tormented, teased, and borderline violated from all the hardcore fans. The crowd is nuts; the traditional etiquette of movie goers is thrown out the window and replaced by a mob of foul mouthed science fiction nerds. There is a theater group that comes to the showings and performs the scenes as the movie is going on; it gets a little tough to depict between the actors and movie goers with all the detailed costumes, but it adds a little surprise. The beginning of the show started with an introduction from the theater group, a set of bizarre rules, and a little dance known as the ‘Time Warp’.
We sat in the back so that we could save ourselves the embarrassment of not dressing up. But that did not help a one bit; we literally stuck out like two normal 20-somethings in a room full of people dressed in drag. The theater group wasted no time running up the stairs of the theater to harass the ”virgins” and cross a few boundaries; some were dragged down the aisle and forced to participate in their idea of a “midnight game show”, I’ll leave that part open to the imagination. The theater cast is hysterical, their costumes are spot on, and the energy level is through the roof. Don’t expect to actually watch the movie in peace, it’s an interactive experience that requires participation, shouting obscenities, and poking a little fun at people; it’s a little shocking but in good fun.
There is a showing of Rocky Horror the last Saturday of every month at midnight; as a Clevelander, it is everyone’s duty to go through this experience; only in Cleveland would this be acceptable after midnight. I’m not sure if it was because of Halloween weekend or the cult status of the film; but whatever it was it brought some of the strangest, most interesting people the city has to offer, and they wear that weirdness like a badge of honor. If you’re willing to be open and a little strange it’s going to be a fun ride, just lighten up and let the cult veterans have their fun so you can have yours. Leave your principles and a few morals at home; it’s an experience that calls for acceptance, fun, and a little crude humor. It’s quite alright to leave reality every once in a while and get immersed in other’s passions and fantasies.
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