Kristian Lavercombe

Kristian Lavercombe is a Welsh-born actor and singer best known for playing Riff Raff in over 1,400 performances of The Rocky Horror Show.[1] Described by the show's writer Richard O'Brien as "a fantastically talented Riff Raff",[2] Lavercombe's interpretation of the role has variously been described as "deliciously sleazy",[3] "simply perfection"[4] and "consistently the most watchable thing on stage throughout".[5]

Kristian Lavercombe

Originally from Neath in South Wales and the son of Gerald Lavercombe and Janice M (née Cook),[6] Kristian Lavercombe attended Nayland College and trained at the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art in New Zealand; an early role was playing Frank 'n' Furter in Rocky Horror in New Zealand.[7] He has performed as Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show over 1,000 times including during the International Tour (2010); the Australian Tour (2014–2015); the UK’s 40th Anniversary Tour (2015); during a West End Live Cinema broadcast in 2015 with Richard O’Brien, the show's writer; and in the 2016 UK Tour.[8][9]

In addition to appearing as Riff Raff he has had leading roles in over 30 professional productions including Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar (2014) for the Auckland Theatre Company[10] and in which he was described as "an authentic musical theatre performer of equally impressive singer-actor ability";[11] Bobby Strong in Urinetown (2007) for Downstage Theatre of which a reviewer wrote "Kristian Lavercombe as Bobby not only sings and dances better than most leading men but he also does the comedy with style";[12] Cripple Billy in The Cripple of Inishmaan for The Court Theatre; Puck in Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Christchurch Arts Festival ("As Puck, in semblance of a naughty Welsh faun, Kristian Lavercombe was a ball of energy"[13]); and The Dark Lady in the New Zealand tour of This Holy Fire of Love with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.[8] In 2018 Lavercombe joined the Australian tour of The Rocky Horror Show as Riff Raff opposite Craig McLachlan as Frank N. Furter. In December 2018 he commenced a 12 month tour of the U.K. as Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show.

Lavercombe currently lives in Brixton in London.

References
  1. "Kristian's Biography on Rocky Horror Show Website |". www.rockyhorror.co.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. 'Let’s Do the Timewarp Again!' – The Australia Times – 9 June 2015
  3. 'The Rocky Horror Show: Richard O’Brien’s cult musical turns 40' – Exeunt Magazine (2013)
  4. Review of The Rocky Horror Show – Low Down Magazine: The definitive Liverpool Listings Guide (2016)
  5. Musical Review of Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show – Female Arts – 20 April 2016
  6. Kristian Lavercombe in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2005 – Ancestry.com – pay to view
  7. 'Rocky Horror road from Nelson to the West End for Kristian Lavercombe', Stuff – 21 August 2015
  8. Biography on Kristian Lavercombe's website
  9. Lavercombe's biography on the Rocky Horror Show official website
  10. 'Smells like holy spirit': review of Jesus Christ, Superstar, The New Zealand Herald – 25 October 2014
  11. Review: Jesus Christ Superstar (Auckland Theatre Company) – Theatre Scenes: The Auckland Theatre Blog – 4 November 2014
  12. 'Odd But Endearingly Bizarre' – Review of Urinetown, Theatreview – 19 November 2007
  13. Review of A Midsummer Night's Dream – Theatreview – 25 July 2009
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