RHS

It's just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right...

(Rocky Horror Show - Time Warp)

Those of you who don't know the Rocky Horror Picture Show: do something about it.¹ Those who do: the live version is even more fun :). It is being staged at the Städtische Bühne in Heidelberg, which is where I saw it. (For those who are coming to Heidelberg in the near future and want to see it as well: it is running at least until the end of the year.)

Before the show, someone gave me a paper bag containing some rice, a flashlight, an old newspaper and some toilet paper, the purpose of which was a little mysterious to me. Then, during the wedding scene in the beginning of the show, the entire audience was showered in rice... The newspaper turned out to be intended for use during the rain scene, following Janet's attempt at remaining dry, and in retrospect I am glad that water pistols weren't included. (Apparently, the RHS has a tradition of audience participation, which does include water pistols.)

Most of the spoken text has been translated into German, which gives some funny effects and loses some jokes, but on the whole is not as disturbing as translations often are. The songs are still in English.
The part of the Criminologist works out better in German, at least to my foreign ears, because of the aptitude of the language to dry, generally boring, amtliche, texts; also in this range, it is better than English :p. The nicest effect of the translation occurs when Frank addresses Dr. Everett Scott:

"Dr. Scott, oder sollte ich lieber Dr. von Scott sagen?"

In one word: Geil!²

P.S.: If you don't know the show, I can imagine this post doesn't make too much sense... ignore it, watch the film, or come and see it here :).

¹Unless you can't stand transsexuals, even if parodied.
¹Means 'cool' in German, but has the same origin as the Dutch word.