A New Brad and Janet

When their car blows a tyre in The Rocky Horror Show, Melbourne will be seeing a new Brad and Janet apprehensively approach Frank’N’Furter’s creepy castle. Stephen Mahy and Amy Lehpamer spoke to Neil Litchfield during rehearsals.

Stephen Mahy and Amy Lehpamer may have rekindled their working relationship as the virginal young couple Brad and Janet, but it isn’t the first time they’ve shared a stage kiss.

“My very first show was Follies for The Production Company (2008), so I was Young Phyllis and Stephen was my Young Ben,” Amy says. “We worked opposite each other, and he was my very first professional stage kiss. He was very nice to me, because I was terrified.”

“And she was fantastic,” Stephen adds, his double entendre causing both to dissolve into laughter, sharing the joy of a friendship which is obvious and natural.

“I have very fond memories of that show,” Amy continues. “We were part of this ridiculous cast with Judi Connelli, Nancye Hayes, Debra Byrne, Anne Wood, John Diedrich and Philip Gould. It was just crazy.”

What did Amy and Stephen enjoy about working together in Follies, which they’ll bring to Rocky Horror?

“We’re both hard workers, quite dedicated to getting stuff right, so we kind of drag each other across the line,” Amy says. “We’re also good at teasing each other …”

“Deep down we’re just big dags,” Stephen chips in. “We hang out together, we fall over things, the door slams behind us … both of us always catch other out doing little things like that, and if we do that in front of each other then it’s going to come out on stage.”

As the laughter subsides, nods of agreement are shared, and Amy admits, “We both look like we should be a lot more co-ordinated than we are.”

“It’s always interesting when you’re having to be a couple on stage,” Stephen suggests. “You forge this relationship very quickly, you have to drop all your insecurities, and I’m thankful that Amy is really open and friendly, and smiles, even though she’s probably hating some moments. It’s having that ability to fail in front of each other and feel supported at the same time.”

Were Stephen and Amy pleased to discover they would be working together again?

“Thrilled!” Amy exclaims. “I’m a tall lady and Stephen is a very tall man, so he makes me look very good. In the wedding cake coupling we do very well – we’re good figurines. I was excited about that. I knew that I’d be allowed to wear high heels.

“It’s always nice to know that you’ll be working with someone who’s open, and open to doing good work and not having a fixed idea about a character,” says Amy, “and Stephen is about getting to the essence of making something good and new, that can sustain us both for eight shows a week. Brad and Janet do so much together throughout the show, they’re sort of a unified force, and you want to be able to look the other person in the eye and know that they’ve got your back.”

Not only are Amy and Stephen new to the roles, they’re not over-familiar with the show.

“The opening night in Brisbane last year was the first time I’d ever seen the show,” Amy admits. “Being an opening night, they’re always so exciting and over-the-top, and you’ve got friends in it, and you have so many emotions, that I wasn’t watching it thinking one day I’m going to be Janet. I was mainly struck by the electricity between the audience and the performers, because it seems like the audience have their own character. I’m learning the show in a whole different way, with fresh eyes.”

“I’ve seen different characters pop out at fancy dress parties,” Stephen adds, “but I didn’t have an emotional attachment to it. I saw a production in 2008, and since then every other production has been touring around while I’ve been touring around elsewhere. So, like Amy, I’m coming in and giving it my own take.”

Does being less familiar rather than more actually help?

“For Janet it definitely does, because going into it she doesn’t know what is going on, and what’s around the next corner, so I’m playing it pretty honestly. When I’ve got a Phantom, or Craig, in my face, it’s definitely not coming from a place of knowing, it’s a place of ‘What’s going on? What’s going to happen next?’ ”

“With any show, coming in with a fresh perspective will help you,” Stephen suggests, “you’re not trying to do a carbon copy of somebody else. These iconic characters are there, yes there is a formula, the text is still the same, but you still have to give it your own flair.”

Will Stephen and Amy bring something of themselves to their characters?

“I don’t know if you can ever play a character that isn’t somewhere a little bit you,” Amy says, after the quietest pause in our conversation. “But yes, and no. In this version we’re playing it in a true sense of being in the fifties, when everything’s perfect and Janet wants a white picket fence.

“I think we can all relate to the show, in a sense of being thrown on a journey, and the twists and turns you don’t expect, and having to adapt and change. That’s just life really, especially in show business, when you don’t know what’s going to happen next. That’s what we’re doing in a very compressed amount of time; showing these people who are going through crazy changes.”

“I’m certainly a little more streetwise than this ‘50s couple are,” Stephen says, “but you still bring an element of yourself.”

After 40 years ago, what is the continued appeal of Rocky Horror to new generations?

“We’re not yet in a society which is entirely accepting of difference – of every creed, colour and sexual preference,” Amy says, as our conversation takes a sudden reflective turn. “Unfortunately we’ve still got a long way to go, and that world of Rocky Horror where you are allowed to be as you are, and your desires are not impure. We’re still working against very conservative ideals in our everyday lives. This show is saying let your hair down, be who you want to be, leave the shame at the door and just have a great time.”

“The book is quite extraordinary for its time,” Stephen says. “It’s the message, the writing, and there are iconic songs that people love.

“Absolutely, and rock and roll will never die,” Amy adds.

What are Amy and Stephen most looking forward to about the show?

“The audience!’ says Amy. “That is going to be such an unpredictable factor, and every single night the show is going to be different. We always say that in show business, but that roller-coaster from night to night is going to be extraordinary, and something as a performer that I’m sure I’ll treasure forever.”

“People dress up in costume to go and see it,” says Stephen, “and so they’ve obviously had hours beforehand, before they’ve gotten to the curtain call. It will be fascinating to come out of the stage door and see the die-hard fans who are so into it. I’d love to ask questions like where do you guys come from, what do you do?”

Any advice for young couples whose cars break down outside a creepy mansion on a stormy night?

“Go in!!” is the unison response.

“I think this show is about the spirit of adventure and self-discovery,” Amy suggests. “Going into the castle means go into yourself, explore those things, and ask a few questions of yourself, and your partner.”

“Though you have to think about being safe, and looking after each other,” Stephen says, adding a note of caution.”

“Absolutely!” Amy agrees. “Rocky Horror is a place where you can be different, and it’s awesome if you are.”

Originally published in the May / June 2015 edition of Stage Whispers.

More Reading.

Musicals in 2015 and Beyond

Rocky Horror Returns to Melbourne

Amy Lehpamer to play Maria in The Sound of Music with video of Amy singing the title song.

Images (top): Amy Lehpamer as Janet, Stephen Mahy as Brad and Craig McLachlan as Dr Frank-N-Furter, & Amy Lehpamer as Janet and Brendan Irving (Rocky) and Amy Lehpamer. Photographer: Brian Geach.