Richard O'Brien in Hamilton, New Zealand

 

'RIFF RAFF

IT'S ASTOUNDING!

WHERE WE STAND IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW.

ON THIS SITE STOOD THE EMBASSY THEATRE, THE HOME OF HAMILTON'S
LATE NIGHT DOUBLE FEATURE SHOW, AND THE BARBER SHOP WHERE
RICHARD O'BRIEN CUT HAIR AND DAYDREAMED FROM 1959 TO 1964

THE PERRY FOUNDATION HAMILTON CITY COUNCIL

WETA WORKSHOP THE RIFF RAFF PUBLIC ARTS TRUST' 'EMBASSY THEATRE

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THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW IS AN INTERNATIONAL,
INTERACTIVE PHENOMENON THAT IS TRULY A 'CULT CLASSIC'. SINCE
1975, RICHARD O'BRIEN'S COCKTAIL OF COMEDY, CABARET AND CROSS-
DRESSING HAS SEEN AUDIENCES IN FISHNET TIGHTS DO THE TIME
WARP AGAIN AND AGAIN.

O'BRIEN MOVED TO HAMILTON IN 1957 AND WORKED IN A BARBER-SHOP
IN THE EMBASSY THEATRE WHICH STOOD ON THIS SITE. HE CREDITS
THE MANY B-GRADE, LATE NIGHT DOUBLE FEATURE MOVIES HE
WATCHED HERE AS MUCH OF THE INSPIRATION FOR ROCKY HORROR.

THE EMBASSY THEATRE WAS OPENED IN 1915 AS THE THEATRE ROYAL,
AND WAS USED AS A MAJOR VENUE FOR STAGE SHOWS, CONCERTS AND
POLITICAL RALLIES UNTIL THE 1960'S. THE STAGE THEN CLOSED, BUT
THE EMBASSY REMAINED AS A PICTURE THEATRE,
AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE "FLEA-PIT" UNTIL
ITS CLOSURE IN 1989. DESPITE PROTEST, THE
THEATRE WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1991.

THIS STATUE CELEBRATES THE INTER-
NATIONAL SUCCESS OF HAMILTONIAN
RICHARD O'BRIEN, AND A PIECE OF
HAMILTON'S CINEMATIC HISTORY.'