Riff Raff Statue

Along Victoria Street in Hamilton, among the array of coffee places, boutique stores, and secondhand bookshops, you’ll stumble across a quaint yet unusual little square. It’s a site that’s sure to please lovers of the cult film “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

The artwork was erected at the former site of the barbershop where the Hamilton native Richard O’Brien, the film’s creator, cut hair in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. There, you’ll find a life-size statue of the character Riff Raff (played by O’Brien) in full alien regalia from when he time warps from the fictional planet Transsexual. 

Those who take the time to look more closely at the brightly colored surroundings will find something else too. Along with the statue are instructions on how to do the iconic “Time Warp” (again). 

Update as of February 2022: Embassy Park is currently closed until 2024. The Riff Raff Statue has been temporarily relocated to the forecourt of Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, which is just a few blocks further south along Victoria St.