'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' was just, well, horrible! (Part 2 of 2)

After waking up to my neighbor’s loud rock music, reminiscent of that tacky, big-hair rock band music from the “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” some kind of fear started bubbling somewhere inside me.

Fear for my neighbor. Fear for the youth. Fear for the community. Fear for my city.

Where were my next-door neighbors getting the idea to play these songs? Could it be that some new trend was rolling into town?

Oh, no… Could it be… Because of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show”????!?

San Pedro: Don't be fooled; this is not a party.

The “Rocky Horror Picture Show” is in its last run tonight at the Warner Grand Theatre, a movie palace imagined by the original Warner Brothers to bring great film into this great little town by the port, San Pedro. But, really, the theatre’s not for brining something as low-class, raunchy “Rocky Horror Picture Show” paired with live performances by the amateur Midnight Insanity.

When I picked up the Midnight Insanity’s news release a month ago about them being kicked out of the Long Beach Queen Mary, I could sense in their words how set they were with showing at the Warner Grand, where they were booked to continue for at least three weeks. They were calling it “opulent” and an “even more spectacular home” than the Royal Theatre abroad the Queen Mary. Clearly, the performance troupe was swept off its feet with the Warner Grand. And who wouldn’t be? The theatre’s like a sparkly refined turquoise stone found in the pale, run-down downtown area where it is its home.

I found clues behind the departure of Midnight Insanity from the Warner Grand in this week’s The District. They were announcing the Warner Grand show. But I liked the darker side better—the part about why the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" should not be showing at all in San Pedro. I’m happy to share the details here:

“Certain members of the San Pedro City Council are apparently concerned that the 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' crowd is too rowdy, and could cause rioting in the streets. ... So, as of now, the show's run is scheduled to end Saturday, and there's not much the fans can do about it but cross their fingers and hope Midnight Insanity troupe can find a new place to do the Time Warp again.”

I can give more insight. While I’m not convinced that the “Rocky” crowd would cause a riot anywhere, I do think that their wardrobes scream mistake, and that they collectively smell like a porn shop video room, and that they shout at the movie screen yelling “Slut!,” “Whore!,” “Jerk!” at the most inappropriate moments, which is so annoying when all you want to do is watch the movie. The troupe itself manages to stroll in with glittery props, like their costumes and other giant, gleaming objects they bring out on the stage (though, not that giant pillow penis). But I’m not sure they take their mimicking jobs so serious—if you had to watch their bellies flap all over the stage for two hours long, you’d think the same.

This is how things die.

I didn’t get it, Midnight Insanity. I didn’t get your dozen “rule number twos.” You adulterated my Saturday night when I first visited you back at the Royal Theater for your last show there. And I hope that your last show at the Warner Grand is tonight.

No more Time Warp!

Photos by Barbara Navarro.

***To read part 1, please click here.

'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' was just, well, horrible! (Part 1 of 2)

Attending the last performance of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” at the Queen Mary two weeks ago was such a dreadful process! The initial appeal was irresistible as Kristen, the diversions editor, and I debated back and forth for days why this would be the show to attend out of the rest and whether it would be her or I to report on this last-show hurrah.

The reasons to attend suddenly became more obvious, and I (unfortunately) ended up going.

For one, I thought, this would be the last show put on at the Queen Mary, since, according to press releases, the Queen Mary’s management suddenly and “without cause” terminated all rights for the performance troupe, Midnight Insanity, to continue its residence at the Royal Theater. The logic there was simple.

And, secondly, my interest to seeing this show peeked when I read that the troupe would be heading next to the Warner Grand across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, my hometown.

But since attending the show, I can’t help but question Kristen’s, or anybody’s entertainment tastes when they tell me they’re into this “Rocky Horror” cult phenomenon. Kristen, I should point out, added extra sentiment to the bizarre performance by telling me a romantic story about her parents’ fantastical moments of dancing and singing with kooky cast members, all while her parents fell in love and eventually married. She, too, has a sweet spot for these shows.

The evening at the Queen Mary for this 1,127th performance show started off, well, rocky. As my friends noted, it all started going downhill the moment I asked for the coat-check closet.

Things like that just didn’t exist in places like this. And in fact, my friends and I were obviously overdressed for a night that had temperatures dipping into the 40s. We wore dark slacks and long-sleeved shirts while every other girl (the great majority the unattractive size of Beth Ditto) wore fishnet stockings and bustiers four sizes too small.

Story to be continued...

As bad as it looks! The video and photo above shows Riff Raff directing "Rocky" virgins in their inaugural dance.

Dr. Frank-N-Furter plays with his own special "boy toy" Rocky in these pictures. In the picture on the left, you can see Janet ("Slut!") stranded awkwardly to the side.


Only certain people were clued in as to what happened during the Time Warp.

All photos and video by Barbara Navarro.