Preview
Identifier
Revue Program_Page_27
Creation Date
4-23-2021
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Theatre and Performance Studies
Description
DRAMATURGY - “SCIENCE FICTION/DOUBLE FEATURE”
“Science Fiction/Double Feature” is a song from the musical cult classic, The Rocky Horror Show. With lyrics and book by Richard O’Brien, The Rocky Horror Show premiered in London in 1973, before making its Broadway debut in 1975. That same year, the movie adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, was released. The music is in the style of glam rock: popular in the 1970s with catchy melodies indicative of early rock and roll and typically featured male performers in flamboyant an androgynous clothing.
The Rocky Horror Show follows Brad and Janet, a traditional American couple, as they meet Frank N. Furter, a pansexual transvestite, who introduces them to a whole new world of sexual debauchery. Through a series of events, the couple winds up questioning their own sexual identities.
“Science Fiction/ Double Feature’’ is the first song in the musical. Originally the song was sung by Usherette/Magneta and acted as a prologue for the show. The song pays homage to 1950s B Horror films and traditional sci-fi movies that Richard O’Brien enjoyed in his youth. In it’s reprisal at the end of the show, “Science Fiction double feature,” reflects on the outcome of the musical. If you are more familiar with the movie, this is the song that is sung by the lips at the beginning of the film.
The Rocky Horror Show and its subsequent movie have had a tremendous impact on American culture and the discussion of traditionally taboo ideas such as gender identity and sexual freedom. While it does have a comedic air, especially when it is discovered that Frank N. Furter and his companions are aliens, The Rocky Horror Show still has depth. The musical and the movie continue to be shown in theatres across the nation. Showings are particularly common around Halloween, where theatres are packed with costume-clad fans and often encourage audience participation. Typically, during showings, audience member would participate in “call backs,” ad-lib lines, shouted out in response to the song’s lyrics. The show’s inherent popularity has led to many other events (often including costumes) such as fundraisers, LBGTQIA events and more.
Publisher
Arkansas State University
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Theatre Program
Keywords
musical, compliation, retrospective, medley
