STOCKINGS and suspenders were the accessories of choice in Bristol on Monday for the opening of a new anniversary production of the Rocky Horror Show.

With an audience dressed to thrill, the Bristol Hippodrome was set for a night of depravity and debauchery for Richard O’Brien’s cult musical now celebrating its 40th year.

Many came not only in corsets, tiny gold pants and even full costumes from the show, but also equipped with props including lights to wave, newspapers to hold over their heads and a full repertoire of the well-known rebuttals to numerous lines in the show.

Even before the opening number, the packed theatre was raucous and ready to party as the scantily clad audience cheered and clapped in enthusiastic unison.

The set for this milestone tour was not particularly spectacular, but that was the only thing about the show which did not dazzle.

Every song was performed with great gusto, complete with high leg kicks, raunchy positions and some full-on dance routines, or with the all-American cute factor Brad (Ben Forster) and Janet (Roxanne Pallett) epitomise before being led so deeply astray during a night in the castle of tranvesite Frank-N-Furter (Oliver Thornton).

The quality of the all-star cast shone through at every opportunity and was none more evident than during Frank-N-Furter’s reprisal of I Can Make You a Man perched bravely on the edge of the stage. Harmonies had been perfected by the close-knit cast and ended a beautiful rendition of I’m Going Home in style. The classic Time Warp had the entire audience on their feet not even mid-way through the first half and again at the end for an exhilarating finale. And there were all the hits from the infamous score including Dammit Janet, Sweet Transvestite and Science Fiction.

But it was the cast which really made this tour a special one.

Emmerdale actress Roxanne Pallett was classy as the sweet and innocent Janet who lets go of her inhibitions, leading the vocals throughout.

Oliver Thornton was simply stunning and made a very sexy cross-dressing, murdering scientist. Having starred in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, his prowess in heels was enviable and the moves he performed in a tight-fitting basque were no less impressive than his sublime vocals which ranged from soft and seductive to brazen and brassy.

X Factor finalist Rhydian Roberts certainly looked the part as heaven-sent muscle man Rocky. And Rhydian’s operatic tone did not disappoint as he strutted around stage in nothing more than a pair of y-fronts.

Also worthy of mention was Ceris Hine, who could have easily stolen the show as the hilariously-excitable sex slave Columbia had it not been for the pool of talent on stage.

For me, however, Darling Buds of May star Philip Franks was the hero of the night as he took up the unenviable role of narrator, a character who is always the target of rude heckling at Rocky Horror. Melodramatic delivery, a plethora of one-liners ready to rebut any taunts and an obvious sense that he was enjoying himself as much as we were meant Franks gave this already-brilliant production a sprinkling of magic.

The Rocky Horror Show is on at the Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday, January 19. It is well worth dressing up for.