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| Rocky Horror Wiki. (n.d.). Riff Raff. [online] Available at: https://rockyhorror.fandom.com/wiki/Riff_Raff [Accessed 17 apr. 2019]. |
In a live version of Rocky Horror Picture Show made in 2016, Reeve Carney played this character, he went for a slightly different look however keeps essential elements such as the very pale face and long hair. I will consider all these different looks when deciding on my look for Riff Raff.
Below is a make up tutorial for Riff Raff which may provide some inspiration and techniques that I can use to develop my character. I will refer back to this video when planning my makeup for the character and practising my makeup look.
YouTube. (2012). Riff Raff- Rocky Horror Makeup Tutorial!. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=7FVuGak3wVE [Accessed 2 Apr. 2019].
Richard O'Brien
O'Brien spent a lifetime struggling with his identity. In an article written by the Daily Mail he reveals that the show, "made it OK for men to dress up as women, but it didn’t make it OK for me". "I had grown up believing there was something wrong with me and that I was somehow damaged and dirty, because I wasn’t the same as everyone else".
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| (Mail Online, 2019) |
Bibliography:
Gannon, L. (2019). Richard O’Brien on why The Rocky Horror Show has lasting appeal. [online] Mail Online. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-6553753/Richard-OBrien-discusses-Rocky-Horror-battles-gender-identity.html [Accessed 2 Apr. 2019].
GLEE PERFORMANCE OF TIME WARP
YouTube. (2017). Glee - Time Warp (Full Performance) 2x05. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9VJqA_t8LQ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2019].
Easter Research Tasks:
Social, cultural and political landscapes of the 1970s
1979, a train guard from Brixton wears a skirt to work on last day of the job protesting that men could not wear skirts.
Feminist graffiti started to appear as women fought for equal rights in society.
These are images from the popular 'punk' culture in the 70s.
Camden Market filled with 'punks'.
Images from the 1979 garbage strike where London started to fill up with rubbish.
Rubbish piles up in Leicester Square.
Punks at Sid Vicious memorial march, 1979
One of the first gay pride marches took place.
“Male homosexuality was illegal and lesbianism wasn’t even recognized as an emotional, sexual, or social reality.”
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/timeline.com/amp/p/c8583401a209
The 1970s was an era of change and new ideas. From this research I am more aware of the isolation created by being or dressing differently (e.g. the punk look, men wearing skirts), this theme is very present in Rocky Horror so it really brings the piece to life as it reflects real life society of the time.
Bibliography:
Deol, D. (2017). London News From The 1970s. [online] Londonist. Available at: https://londonist.com/london/housing/london-news-from-the-1970s [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].
Beckman, J. (2019). Punks at Sid Vicious memorial march, 1979 by Janette Beckman | Screaming Fans & Surf Punks | Youth culture, Punk, 70s punk. [online] Pinterest. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/260927372131931805/ [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].
What made Rocky Horror so timely yet so shocking?
Rocky Horror emerged in a time of change and protest. It was not yet socially acceptable to be gay, transgender or any other type of different, however, more and more protests would be taking place to push this new social standard. In 1972, when Rocky Horror first started showing this emerging social standard was not yet accepted in mainstream society therefore it was very shocking to an audience of the time.
Interviews with cast
23/04/19
Nell Campbell-
Columbia:
Columbia:
- She left Australia to move to london, her first job was selling clothes at a market store, Freddie Mercury worked on a stall opposite.
- Worked as a Soda Jerk (serves from a soda fountain) in a cafe in Knightsbridge, dressed as Ruby Keeler; had hair in 1930s Bob, permed hair. Performed tap dances in the cafe.
- The Tap solo was put in to the character due to her skills in this area
- She disclosed that a Chelsea matrons voice was used for Franks character as Tim picked it up and wanted to use it
- She left show after 7 months to go busking in France, but reprised for the film version
- Opened 'Nell's' night club. Has the nickname 'Queen of the Night'. Prince came and played one night at her club.
YouTube. (2017). Nell Campbell | Studio 10. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i68ZhDJOos [Accessed 16 Apr. 2019].
Particia Quinn-
Magenta:
- Most famous lips in cinema history
- Millions of fans would see midnight showings of the film
- However Richard O'Brien sung the iconic 'Science Fiction, Double Feature' song instead of her in the film
- She nearly dropped out of filming however she saw the set and carried on
- The film featured her disembodied mouth during the opening song (blacked out face and lips were drawn on)
- To film this they fixed her head in a frame so she couldn’t move during filming
- Mick Jagger was originally in the mix for Frank
- Steve Martin auditioned for Brad
- Casting Meat Loaf as Eddie surprised everybody
- 'Time Warp' reached number three on Australia Aria charts
- Patricia Quinn married Sir Robert Stevens and became a lady
YouTube. (2017). Patricia Quinn Reflects On 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' | Studio 10. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3NdXbLZbws [Accessed 16 Apr. 2019].
Meat loaf-
Eddie:
- Carole King came to watch, Keith Moon, Elvis Presley, and Raquel Welch
- They didn’t use him as Dr Scott in the movie and he thought it was a mistake
- When they started rehearsing all they did was rehearse the music
- He made the words work in 'Hot Patootie' which wasn’t expected as it was difficult to fit so many words into a few notes of song.
- They didn’t show Tim Curry's songs until a few weeks into rehearsal, coming in to the theatre in fishnet stockings and platform shoes.
- Meatloaf tried to walk out and leave as it was too much he said he couldn’t do it
- They made him see the whole thing and he realised it was for comedy effect
- They said he would have to wear fishnets and high heels and was very resistant they slowly convinced him
- When he lifted his leg and people saw the fishnets under the blanket and he got a massive laughter from the audience and even people on stage he knew it worked
YouTube. (2007). Meat Loaf On The Rocky Horror Show - Part 1. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFqmLvxORzQ [Accessed 16 Apr. 2019].
Susan Sarandon -
Janet:
- She was told she couldn’t sing when she was younger
- She was scheduled to do a different movie and she went to say Hi to Tim when they were casting for the film and they asked her to read
- She had to get over her phobia of singing
- The show at first disappeared but years later resurfaced and became very popular
- She’s not ashamed to be part of it she thinks Tim’s entrance is iconic
YouTube. (2014). Susan Sarandon on Rocky Horror. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2jp_HI2xLc [Accessed 16 Apr. 2019].
Richard O Brien-
Riff Raff and Director:
- He was fired from Jesus Christ superstar musical
- He wrote 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' almost in spite
- He wrote 'Science Fiction, Double Feature' and performed it and got a good reaction
- Got a job at Royal Court theatre and told Jim Sharman about what was writting. Jim Sharman and Richard Hart liked it. They negotiated him getting some Theatre space for his play.
- Word of mouth was very good at promoting the show. The show carried on and got good reviews too but word of mouth was still the main method of promotion.
- He thought it was gonna be a 3 weeks run time
- It played for 7 years
- Audiences surprised at themselves at their reaction to the show
- There’s always a darker tale to any story he revealed about Rocky Horror
- The show is a retelling of 'Babes in the Wood', servant is wicked witch in a gingerbread cottage
- He was born transexual with both male and female sex organs but he knew at the age of 6 he wanted to be a girl and he would say he wanted to be a princess.
- Writing Rocky Horror was almost a way of subconsciously coming out, it was him releasing ideas, thoughts and emotions.
- 'Touch a touch a touch me' was written in an hour and a half, he was focused but under pressure
- Riff raff means lowly
- Growing up in Hamilton, New Zealand, was difficult
- He left school at 15, and was supposed to become a farmer. He was sent to a farm, but it wasn’t for him
- Went on to be an apprentice at a barber shop
- Then he moved to London and he started by riding horses in movies
- He really wanted to be in show biz so worked every job he could in the theatre sweeping stage etc
- His children are very good about having a transgender father
- He put a frock on his son
- As Antony Hopkins said, ”Whatever people think of me is none of my business”
- He hangs around with younger people and can’t be around older people
- Maturity was never his strong suit
- He never wanted to be rich or famous and didn’t get much money from the film
- He just wanted to act
- Used to host the TV show 'The Crystal Maze' and had to wear very skinny trousers and it was then he realised just how skinny he was
- He played the child catcher in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' at one point and hoped to inspire younger people
YouTube. (2013). Rocky Horror Picture Show-Behind The Scenes (Remastered). [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfL98tLN1t8 [Accessed 16 Apr. 2019].
YouTube. (2010). An Evening with Richard O'Brien - Part 1 of 5 - Captioned. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=omeUM1UoAk8 [Accessed 16 Apr. 2019].
Watching these interviews with cast members helped me to understand the history and intentions for the piece, it also helped me grasp just how shocking this show was to an audience of the time therefore I will make sure that I play my character to fit this shocking theme.
Developing characterisation in Time Warp
Following the first rehearsal of time warp I decided to source some videos to give me inspiration of how to play Riff Raff in this song.
YouTube. (2013). The Time Warp - Official (2013 UK Cast of Rocky Horror). [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmQgICDxGEQ [Accessed 2 May 2019].
YouTube. (2015). Time Warp. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jakZArb29U [Accessed 17 Apr. 2019].
These more modern versions of 'Time Warp' play Riff Raff in a different more comedic way so I will take elements from these different performances to use in my own delivery of the character.
'Hot Patootie' Choreography Research
25/04/19
To start the development process of devising this choreography I came up with a rough staging plan and plotted where everybody would be on the stage.
The first part of choreography I wanted to start with is Columbia and Eddie's dance routine through the song. This song is one of the only times you get to see what their relationship is like so there will be a lot of chemistry between them at this point in the show.
Eddie's character seems to be based on Elvis and his iconic dance moves so I want to incorporate as many of these as I can. Below are some of the dance moves I have found from videos on youtube and edited together into one video and also there is a clip showing a dance move they used in the movie version which I would like to include.
I have set myself a target that by the end of the day I will finish Eddie and Columbia's choreography.
I also sourced some 50s Rock and Roll partner dancers which I will use to inspire me to choreograph how Eddie and Columbia will interact.
I selected this clip as this is my inspiration for what Rocky and Frank will be doing in this song. Frank will have little choreography however will be acting throughout the song and there will be clear frustration building up as Rocky tries to join in.
B Movie Research:
I decided to conduct some research into the movies mentioned in the song 'Science Fiction, Double Feature'.
King kong (1933)
- Based on a story by Edgar Wallace
- Includes a damsel in distress type of character - similar to Janet at the beginning of Rocky
- It has been remade several times with sequels
IMDb. (n.d.). King Kong (1933) - IMDb. [online] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024216/plotsummary [Accessed 17 Apr. 2019].
Flash Gordon
- Started as a comic
- A new planet appears and causes global disruption
- Flash meets a beautiful woman called Dale
- Zarkof is an irrational scientist, investigates meteorite
- Ming the Merciless was trying to destroy earth, he has a control panel sending over hurricanes, earthquakes etc
- Zarkof kidnaps Flash and Dale and takes them to Mongo (plant), the planet is filled with all sorts of strange people
- Ming wants to capture Dale as he thinks she is the most beautiful woman in the universe however Flash saves her
- They keep having adventures on the planet Mongo
Invisible man
- Movie begins with a man covered in bandages with sunglasses obscuring his face
- He ss actually invisible under the clothes so when he takes them off he can’t be seen
- Science fiction horror
- Based on a book by HG Wells (1897)
- A scientist makes a serum to make him invisible however he is stuck like this, he is searching for an antidote however becomes crazy and starts killing people
- Played by Claude Reins, this was his first major role in a movie
- Includes a lot of comedic elements
YouTube. (2018). The Invisible Man - Movie Review (Universal Monsters Series). [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=108&v=9Lm3ftndMPk [Accessed 17 Apr. 2019].
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
A UFO lands on Earth, with a strange person wearing a mask coming out, he also has a robot body guard with him. Soldiers gather to make sure the UFO isn’t a threat. The worlds reaction, mainly the governments reaction, is reflective of underlying political themes. The government refuses to hear him out after he claims he needs help. He lays low in a boarding house after escaping from military custody. He is thought to be an out of towner, he confides in a scientist whilst in the boarding house. There are subtle progressions in the film of growing threat to the world and tension from the military services.
Michael Rennie stars in this movie.
YouTube. (2017). The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951 film review). [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAzQCena5UA [Accessed 17 Apr. 2019].
Lots of the characeters and themes in these movies overlap with those in Rocky Horror such as the damsel in distress (Janet in Rocky Horror seeking help after their car breaks down), the man wrapped in bandages in invisible man (Rocky in 'Sword of Damecles' before he is unwrapped to reveal himself) and the theme of aliens which obviously is very present in Rocky Horror.
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