Make the effort for Rocky Horror Show (From Gazette Series)

Make the effort for Rocky Horror Show

5:07pm Wednesday 7th July 2010 in

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Rocky Horror Show

Bristol Hippodrome

IT was with some trepidation that I stepped out to see the Rocky Horror Show in Bristol on Monday night. I have seen the flamboyant and fantastical tale before but not for many years and not dressed in the bare minimum as I was on this occasion.

Although venturing to the Hippodrome was a nervy affair, with onlookers wondering when Hugh Hefner was going to turn up as French maids and tarts descended upon the city centre, I needn’t have worried – in comparison to many, I was well covered up.

For any Rocky Horror virgin, there is one thing you must understand. The audience makes as much effort on their costumes as the actors and those who chose not to enter into the spirit of things will leave wishing they had.

Ladies donning their best Basques and stockings huddled with men wearing nothing more than gold hot pants and as we entered the foyer, we knew we were in for a fun night. This touring production of Richard O’Brien’s original show was slick from the start and the energy flowed off the stage like the accompanying smoke machine.

The audience was up for it as they quipped and heckled narrator Michael Starke (formerly Sinbad from Brookside) as some fans of the show were prepared with one-liners having memorised the script word for word.

The story behind Rocky Horror, which has reached cult status since the release of the film in 1975, follows clean cut American teenagers Janet (Haley Flaherty) and Brad (Richard Meek) as they break down near an eerie castle. They stop to use the phone but on meeting David Bedella, as resplendent transvestite Frank n Furter, they are transported to an underworld where nothing is off limits and everyone is on offer.

Bedella is gorgeous in his glad rags as the over-the-top, cackling drag queen and quite unrecognisable from his normal role as Dr Carlos Fashola in Holby City. His powerful delivery was perfectly matched to the score and he managed to mix his appeal as dominatrix with emotional longing perfectly.

A great band got everybody moving to the Timewarp and Bedella and Starke were impressive with their impromptu responses to the audience’s jibes.

Any Rocky Horror show is a great night out but this experienced cast made it extra special.

The show is on at the Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday, July 10. Call 0844 847 2325 or visit www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk for tickets.