On 6 September, UP & Out hosted a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the Akayang Training Centre.
Celebrating all things weird, the film is a queer cult classic known for its over-the-top production design, commentary on the nature of ‘normality’ and for the magnificent spectacle that is Dr Frank-N-Furter dancing in a corset and fishnet stockings.
One of the event organisers, Patterson Rainbird-Webb, said about the film, “We’ve been wanting to do Rocky Horror for a while now, because… the whole effect of it was to be a B-horror movie.
It’s supposed to, like, smash barriers and go, ‘Oh, these are your social standards? Screw ‘em.’ … And we thought about it and we looked at it, and I’ve looked into some of the history, and just how impactful it’s been for the queer society… Plus, it has a cult following.”
The attendees of the film were in high spirits, munching popcorn and singing along to the iconic songs as the film progressed – the best-received musical numbers were the famous combination of “Time Warp” and the deliciously flamboyant “Sweet Transvestite”, which launched Tim Curry’s career as a cult actor and a voice of every early 2000s kid’s childhood. On the topic of the film’s importance, Rainbird-Webb commented, “It, in a way, comments on heteronormativity… It literally goes, everything is valid.
Everything’s fair game… Honestly, it comments on everything from ableism to transphobia to literally everything… It’s also very interesting because it’s got the shock value… You’re going to get your money’s worth.”
Screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show are common around Halloween, so anyone who missed the event can still join in on the fun. Dressing up as a character from the film is mandatory, as is learning the lyrics to the songs to sing along with the audience. It is a perfect celebration of Pride Month, combining queer sensibilities with spooky Halloween vibes.
Doing the Time Warp: UP & Out Hosts Rocky Horror
