1973 and an Out-of-work actor and writer showed his “three-chord fantasy/rock musical” to a director, later that year it was an immediate hit winning “best Musical.” 2002 and it’s still going strong, camping up every stage it plays on and being watched by thousands of cross dressing maniacs…it could only be The Rocky Horror Show. 

This infamous musical, which is more widely famous for the film of the same name is all about transvestites from Transylvania, and…welll…I won’t go into the plot since, its weak to say the least, very imaginative oh yes, so I’d advise a quick visit to www.rockyhorror.co.uk before your trip to the show. Not only to know the story, but also to know about the participation, dress, and all other antics which go on, because as the song says “Don’t Dream it, Be it!” and as an audience member, you very much are part of it.

From the moment you arrive in the theatre and set eyes on men and women in full stockings, suspenders and thongs, you know your not in for a regular show. This is an experience, like no other theatre going one, part rock concert, part panto, part sex show, it’s a blend of all things camp, sexual, and funny.

The audience from the word go, are most defiantly up for it! Screaming, shouting, cheering, and dancing throughout most of the show. A Rocky Fan, who was fully dressed up explained to me that the audience are like an extra member of cast, they regularly shout back to the actors, for example Janet says, “I’ll come with you Brad” and you say “That’ll be a first” and the cast actually enjoy it!

So with that in mind, you won’t be as bemused as I was during the first 10 or 15 minutes! As soon as you get into it you’ll find yourself time warping, dancing, shouting and having more fun then you could ever imagine.

The songs may not be much, but all following a set style and system, you can’t help but to be enticed, and sing-a-long to classics like Time Warp and Sweet Transvetite. However loud the audience be, the power of the microphone stands up as the purely exceptional cast wow every member of the audience with their brilliant performances.

The director has really thought about this, and there is always so much to watch, you’ll find yourself giggling away, and things no one else saw! The set wasn’t brilliant, the lighting was ace, but the cast blew you away. Jonathan Wilkes as Frank N Furter was able to command the audience, and strut the stage with this same vigour as his mate Robbie Williams. He lived the role, and loved every second of it…the audience just couldn’t get enough. To say his was brilliant is wrong, to say he was exceptional is wrong, words cannot describe what a good performance he gave.

Jon Boydon and Katie Rowley-Jones both had the right look, manor, and voices for the parts of Brad and Janet. They never failed to hit a note, and never once did you think they were anything but amazing. Everyone else was better than any cast I have seen before, giving so much to the performance, including Nick Bateman from Big Brother as the Narrator, although he seemed uncomfortable and out of place at times.

This is an event worth seeing, its funny, and sexy and like nothing you’ll ever see again. Run to Rocky. 

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