SHOCKY HORROR BREAKFAST CLUB
June 1999
 

Cumbernauld News 16 June 26 - "Shock horror drama in store"  1 | 2 | Top

The Breakfast Club meets the Rocky Horror Show in Cumbernauld Youth Theatre’s latest production, The Shocky Horror Breakfast Club, which burst on stage for a three night run tomorrow (Thursday June 17).

        Drawing inspiration from the group’s favorite cult teen movies, the show, devised from improvisations and scripted by director Evelyn Wallace, sends up screen favorite from Animal House to Bill and Ted and from clueless to The X Files.

        The Shocky Horror Breakfast Club is set in all American Pottersville High School, where a motley bunch of students must undertake a science field trip if they are to make their grades and graduate.

        Amongst them are all the types you would expect – the cheerleader, the jock, the rebel, the weirdo, the plain Jane, the brainy nerd.

        Driven by inexperience and nervous new science teach Miss Wilde, the group’s bus takes a wrong turn somewhere en route and crashes, leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere.

        They are hopelessly lost in the woods when they came upon a big old house – surely they’ll be able to get help in there?  However, the big old house seems to be inhabited by member of some strange cult and soon the group are embroiled in all sorts of mysterious events.

        Meanwhile, out in the woods, two FBI agents are on the trail of some missing persons.

        Cumbernauld Theatre’s senior community drama worker Evelyn Wallace is writer and director for the new show, although she doesn’t take all the credit for writing it.

        “Basically I just put the script together from scenes the Youth Theatre worked together to devise,” she said.

        “The show came about originally because a lot of people in the groups really wanted to do the Rocky Horror Picture Show.  The performing rights for that are seldom available and it’s not really suitable for a group with such a big age range.

        “Then we hit on the idea of sending up not only the Rocky Horror Show but a whole lot of other popular teen movies too.  The end result is very funny.   There are a couple of musical numbers too.  We’ve been working ion the choreography and Big Ted’s Party will be playing live.”

        The Shocky Horror Breakfast Club runs at Cumbernauld Theatre from Jun 17-19, with performances at 7.45pm each night.  Tickets, priced £5 (£3 concession), are available from the box office on 732887 or from the usually outlets.

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There was plenty of fun to be had at Cumbernauld Theatre at the weekend when Cumbernauld Theatre presented a hilarious spoof, The Shocky Horror Breakfast Club.

        Written and directed by senior community drama worker Evelyn Wallace, the show, which had a three night run from Thursday until Saturday, drew inspiration from the team’s favourite cult teen movies.  Clueless meets the X Files meets The Rocky Horror Picture Show is probably the best description.

        The plot was fairly simple.  A bunch of students from all American Pottersville High School undertake a science field trip, but their bus takes a wrong turn and crashes.  The group get lost in the woods and seek help at a spooky old house, which seems to be inhabited by members of a strange cult.  They turn out to be vampires, and plan the same fate for the students, who think they are on a film set.   It’s up to brainy nerd Brian to save the day – except that he gets it wrong.  There is a final showdown with the FBI, and an interesting twist at the end.   It was all great fun.

        Acting honours must go to Charles Scullion, who camped it up as Xavier, the vampire leader.  He was superb in the role.

        Brain, shy but clever, was played with aplomb by Mark McKinley.  Richard McColm was athletic heartthrob Ralph, while bitchy students Barbie and Cherry were well played by Natalie Connell and Evelyn Tonner.  The stuttering Chad was played by Alan McDonald, while Ryan Latto was spoilt rich kid Zak.  Plain Jan Janice was Laura Griffith, and Leanne Foxwell was the worldly-wise Alison.  Other student roles were taken by Stephen Wilson, Chris Biggam, Mark Lindley, Stewart Brady, Gary Flood, and Fiona MacFarlane, while Pauline Quinn was inexperienced science teacher Miss Wilde.

        Of the vampires, Corin Mackenzie and Stella Ferguson were superb as Bella and Verbena, Xavier’s sinister attendants.  The others were played by Lisa Pattoni, Alex Caldwell, Christina Pattoni, Rachel Leishman, and Laura Gordon.  Ross Finbow had a double role as ware wolf Wulf and stereotype Easter European butler Heimlich. Xavier’s devotees were Jennifer Fox, Fiona McFarlane, Sharon Logan, Gemma Begley, and Kirsty Fisher.

        FBI agent Spark (a take-off of Dana Scully) was played by Lorna Benjamin, while the role of partner Daylight was shard over the three nights by Craig Gallacher and Mark Smith.  Bubba, the missing person they are trying to trace was played by Mark Smith and Laura Gordon.

        Live music was provided by Big Ted’s Party, and the program even contained instruction on how to do the Time Warp.

        All in all, the young cast is to be congratulated on a great show.

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