“Sorry I missed my train, got stuck in a time warp.” That was one viewer’s perfect excuse after an ordinary afternoon journey took a delightfully bizarre detour. Amid the usual rush of rolling luggage, announcements, and hurried footsteps through Birmingham New Street station, a brightly costumed troupe suddenly transformed the busy concourse into a full-blown musical stage. Passers-by stopped in their tracks as the familiar, infectious beat kicked in and the performers launched into “The Time Warp.”
The high-energy spectacle, staged on March 28, 2023, was a meticulously planned promotional surprise by the touring cast of The Rocky Horror Show. In town for their 50th-anniversary tour at Birmingham’s Alexandra theatre, the professional company brought theatre directly to the public. Commuters dashing between platforms suddenly found themselves front-row spectators to top-tier musical theatre, watching seasoned performers execute the famous pelvic thrusts and leaps right beside the ticket barriers.
One eagle-eyed viewer online highlighted a clever visual gag unfolding in the background. While the ensemble nailed the iconic choreography front and centre, the show’s iconic antihero made a wonderfully understated entrance. “I like Frank’s casual stroll past the group and then hang out in the background,” noted one amused viewer. The subtle, campy cameo rewarded attentive fans and captured the irreverent spirit that has defined the production for half a century.
The contrast between an austere railway concourse and flamboyant musical theatre provided an irresistible dose of pure escapism. As one viewer commented, it was “so refreshing to see a group of people choreographing something fun to surprise the public and make people’s day a little happier. We need more of this right now.” The sheer spontaneity of watching commuters break into smiles turned a transit hub into a shared space of celebration. Catch the electrifying choreography and audience participation during a full live stage performance of The Time Warp.
The Rocky Horror Show has always inspired rare devotion, bridging the original 1973 stage musical and its famous film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. That enduring legacy also prompted one fan online to share an anecdote that The Music Man readers will appreciate. “These performers are having so much fun,” the fan wrote. “An advantage being old, I actually saw TIM CURRY as Dr. Frank N Furter live on stage at the Roxy Theatre in Hollywood in 1974. Absolutely fabulous and mind blowing.”
What began as local promotion had attracted more than 2 million views on TikTok by late 2024, according to The Alexandra. With its instantly recognizable dance steps, vivid costumes, and palpable sense of joy, the performance proved that “The Time Warp” thrives just as brilliantly on a train concourse as it does under stage spotlights, inviting everyone to step to the left.