THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW reviews — Page 4

broadway86 said: "I'm not sure what the rationale was for putting Hsu in Leading Actress, but I feel like she could've had a really good chance in Featured. (To be fair, I haven't seen Chess)."

I think it would be very odd to label Janet a featured role. I realize all this is a bit hazy. Rita Morena famously told the Tony audience that Googie Gomez was the lead female, not a supporting character, in The Ritz. But although she's literally the only woman in the cast, and so technically the lead female, it's clearly a supporting part. Whereas with Rocky, Janet's trajectory clearly make her a pivotal character. You could nominate an actor playing Brad for a supporting role, despite his role being essentially as large as Janet's. But I think if you nomiate the Janet, you have to slot her into the Leading Actress category. 

Updated On: 5/13/26 at 04:48 PM

So Rocky was fun! Yay. It's probably very hard to play that role and color outside of the Tim Curry lines, but Luke Evans is very funny and as original in the role as can be. He had me giggling a lot. Im not sure Stephanie Hsu deserved a Tony nomination over Lea Michele, but she is terrific. I remember she was my favorite thing in Be More Chill and isn't an Oscar nominee for nothin'! Oddly, when everybody is playing every character over the top, Andrew Durand is playing Brad very real and very sincerely, which makes him very poignant. No one is talking about him, but I think he's fantastic in the role. The rest of the cast is okay, the trans woman from Pose isn't very good, and I don't know why Rachel Dratch got a Tony nomination. The staging has a purposeful amateurish quality to it, which works. And the audience loved it. And I do nostalgically love the score. Yet hearing it once again, toward the end where we get I'm Going Home and Superheroes, it occurred to me that Richard O'Brien had a little more on his mind than just a satire of 1960s mores and Sci-Fi movies.

My husband and I saw the 5/15/26 performance, and I was surprised by my own reaction to it. Despite the fact that I thought everyone aside from Luke Evans (although he should shave the mustache) and Andrew Durand was miscast, the show was great fun and I had a blast.

Updated On: 5/21/26 at 08:18 AM

this revival for me was the inverse of CATS, which was a brilliant spin on a fundamentally weak show. Here, I dont think this production is really doing much with the piece, but the core is zany and solid enough that its still a fun time.

Luke Evans is perfect, and there isnt much more to say. So many dismissed his casting when first announced and they must feel ridiculous now- his voice, his presence, its all working. Andrew Durand and especially Stephanie Hsu match him scene for scene- Durand more subtle, Hsu more hysterical, but both in fine voice and elevating those roles.

The rest of the cast are fine, but their parts are much more obscure and require a strong directorial hand to make them gel. If anything, this production highlights how wonderful the 2001 revival was with an ensemble and Riff Raff/Magenta that so perfectly meshed with the vibe of the show. Amber Gray sounds great and in many ways is perfectly cast, but the whole thing doesnt really click. I LOVE Juliette Lewis and she can clearly sing, but she disappears into the background as Magenta, and shes out to sea singing SFDF. I was bummed they didnt have Micaela Jae join her in the opener, but then i realized that she was doing the whole show in Boop pipsqueak voice, wholly disconnected from everyone else? Mystifying. 

Equally surprising is that Dratch was nominated for a Tony---shes funny, and had one nice ad lib reaction to the audience tonight, but I thought she'd be directed to do more comedy. 

To be fair I am clearly spoiled from Daphne Rubin Vega, Raul Esparza and Ana Gasteyer's Columbia, not to mention Lea Delaria who i bet could still do wonders in this show. Tonight was way more hit/miss but i still had fun--some of the orchestrations were great, and everything sounded powerful and new.

the worst part of the night was Studio 54 itself-- I am six feet, but with shortish legs, and i never really complain about seating space, but Row GG in the mezzanine was legit painful. It was also inordinately warm- i was cramped and sweating for $150. 

PipingHotPiccolo said: "the worst part of the night was Studio 54 itself-- I am six feet, but with shortish legs, and i never really complain about seating space, but Row GG in the mezzanine was legit painful. It was also inordinately warm- i was cramped and sweating for $150."

Definitely worth the overhaul Roundabout is doing on the theatre. I recall sitting in the mezz for Sondheim on Sondheim it was painful (to my then much younger knees)! 

PipingHotPiccolo said: "blaxx said: "

What most people who see this will never know is how artful and ingenious the last revival was. It was superb.

Yes, people will still have fun but they have not much to compare it to.

What we have here is embarrassing for Broadway standards, maybe even for regional theater, Evans aside."

The talent onstage is hardly regional theater, so I think this is harsh. Still, thinking about it now, I cant really think of any directorial choices or clever staging/spins in this production. It all felt a little half baked, especially when compared to the way the 2001 revival did so much more with a bit less.

the simplicity of the production does allow for fun replacement casting, and while i'm a rare repeat viewer, i would go back to see a new crop in a few months if we get that far (and it was completely sold out last night, so i suspect we might)."

Sorry love, while I don't disagree the rest of the cast are indeed skilled and talented, in here they are reduced to portraying the characters and the material in the most simplistic and basic way.

It's like they asked them to not try very hard and they took it to heart.

I saw the recent performance of Time Warp on TV and it seemed like each character was in their own show-just running around haphazardly. 

Saw this on Friday. Callouts were minimal. Energy was fine. Luke Evans is great. 

Was Michaela sick for the Tony's performance? She's in those numbers so I was surprised we were left with no Columbia. Rocky and Eddie were added and they aren't in those songs so my guess is she was just not feeling well vs cut. 

She was noticeably absent at the Tonys--if she was sick, I'd imagine theyd have someone else on in her track? Reminds me of the last revival which had all sorts of Columbia issues...

 

shes SO talented (her Suddenly Seymour is one of the best, hands down) but was so miscast and misdirected in this production, a travesty. Id love to see her as Magenta (or at least sing the opener), or even as Janet. 

Peppa222 said: "Saw on Reddit that tonight's show has been canceled. Matinee still seems to be going forward."

I saw that Reddit post went out around the time their matinee was already in progress. I was at intermission at JELLICLE BALL and I was wondering why I couldn’t get my tickets on my phone anymore. I’m gonna guess cast illness since, as I’ve moderated the Understudies site throughout the week, I’ve seen a lot of strange and frequent cover situations

Luckily my friend (who’s Christmas Gift was this performance) thought on his feet and we rushed Third Row for SPELLING BEE. (I’ve been wanting to go back, even though Jasmine, Lana, and Justin are out - I want to see Jon Cryer and Matt Manuel is SO FINE)

It is definitely due to sickness. A Broadway show does not cancel a Saturday Night (very sold) performance for something like the Knicks. Though I do hope they win tonight!