New Zealand / Arts

Rocky Horror statue unveiled at new temporary site

14:27 pm on 7 March 2022

The Riff Raff statue in Hamilton, celebrating the Rocky Horror Show and its creator Richard O'Brien, has been given a new temporary home in the city.

Photo: RNZ / Andrew McRae

The bronze likeness of O'Brien , who was Riff Raff, the time-warping alien in the original show, was first erected in 2004 in Embassy Park, near where O'Brien used to worked.

It was removed late last year to allow work to begin on the new Waikato Regional Theatre.

Until it can return to the site, it is now on display on the forecourt of Waikato Museum, Te Whare Taonga o Waikato.

The home-away-from-home for the statue was suggested by its subject.

O'Brien requested the statue be placed outside the museum during its time away from its usual spot.

The statue was re-unveiled this afternoon by Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate.

Rocky Horror creator Richard O'Brien Photo: Screengrab / YouTube / BBC