Loredo boasts an impressive pedigree in musical theatre and dance, including stage roles in The Lion King, Hairspray, Wicked, and Chicago. On Television, Loredo was a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance and was a member of The Voice Australia’s dance troupe. He is the owner and Director of the LOcREaDO Dance Company and performed alongside Kylie Minogue on her Aphrodite Les Folies tour.
FUSE: What can audiences expect when they come to see this production of The Rocky Horror Show?
Loredo Malcolm: A fun night of theatre with what I think is one of the best casts of The Rocky Horror Show ever. You’ll laugh, cry and probably be up on your feet doing the Time Warp!
Richard O’Brien, creator and writer of The Rocky Horror Show, said that his musical is a celebration of difference that allows marginalised communities to gather and coexist.
The show is known for its wild audience participation, is that encouraged?
Oh yes, we encourage audience participation, but it’s not something that everyone has to do. In fact, to really know how to participate, you would have to be a diehard Rocky Horror Picture Show fan. We also ask it to be done respectfully so that the show is not disrupted. All in good fun, I say! As for how? Well, the fans will know exactly how, when and what to say!
Tell us about your character, Rocky.
Rocky is created by Frank-N-Furter as a beautiful creature to love him. He is born as a man with no life knowledge. However, when I auditioned for this role, I wanted to bring something different; I wanted my version of Rocky to be smarter and more aware. He picks up mannerisms quickly and is witty, cheeky and likes to play with his friends. Rocky is also seen as just a ‘body’, so my physical appearance is important for the role. I think Rocky’s favourite number would be “I Can Make You a Man” with Frank-N-Furter.
Rocky has relatively little dialogue and is more of a ‘presence’ in the show. Does this present a challenge?
My version of Rocky combines his lines and his time on stage as a journey, not just moments. Rocky has the least number of lines, but he has a lot of featured moments that have as much impact as spoken dialogue. The role itself is difficult to play because his presence must command the stage without the spoken word. He must engage the audience with his energy and his spark alone. Added to this, Rocky is the most physically exposed character in the show, and this brings another layer of challenge. Ethan Jones, who plays Brad Majors, has told me he would find this more difficult than working with dialogue.
The ROCKY HORROR show has many famous fans (Tim Curry AND Meat Loaf met Elvis Presley at a Los Angeles performance of the stage production), but perhaps none more impressive than Diana, Princess of Wales. Once, while doing a SHOW in Austria, Curry was informed that the Princess wanted to meet him. When they met, she told him that the film “quite completed my education”, apparently flashing a ‘wicked smile’ as she did so.
Do you have a favourite number in the show?
Of course, my favourite number is “Sword of Damocles” because it’s my first appearance on stage and it’s a big one!
I’m sure our readers would also love to hear about your experiences working with Kylie Minogue on her “Aphrodite Les Folies” Tour. Tell us more!
Working with Kylie was great. She is a beautiful human, she treated us well, and it was a wonderful opportunity to dance with her when she was in Australia. My favourite number in the show with her was “All the Lovers”.
The Rocky Horror Show is currently touring the country.
Robyn Archer — An Australian Songbook
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