Don’t Dream It…Be It – Quay Street in Manchester awash with fishnet tights, suspenders and basques on a Monday night??!! It can only mean one thing…The Rocky Horror Show is back in town.
The cult musical which combines science-fiction, comedy and music has landed at the Opera House where it will be doing the ‘Time Warp’ till Saturday 30th March. Celebrating its 40th anniversary the tour has an all star cast of Roxanne Pallett (Janet), Rhydian (Rocky), Sam Attwater (Brad) and Phillip Franks (Narrator).
Pint sized Roxanne Pallet shows off her huge voice that blasts out classics such as ‘Touch Me” with ease. The former Emmerdale and Waterloo Road star looks fabulous as the B Movie heroine Janet and manages to fulfil the perfect mix of sweet and sexy that the role requires.
Co-star Sam Attwater as Brad- also provides some great vocals with a solo number added to show off his singing talents, ‘Once in A While’. The track was cut from the original 1975 movie and although it is delivered well onstage by Attwater it still seems a little out of place from the rest of the show’s frivolity.
X Factor finalist Rhydian plays Frank-N-Furters’ latest toy, Rocky, giving the audience an idea of what he’s been working on since his reality talent show days…his pecks and biceps! Unfortunately it’s not Rhydian’s distinct vocals that are the showstopper here but his all over tan that looks like it comes straight out of a garden centre (a la shade ‘David Dickenson’) and his miniscule gold spandex hotpants.
Despite the ‘all star’ cast the true star of The Rocky Horror Show is an actor that is more well known for his stage work than screen, Oliver Thornton. No stranger to dressing up in stockings and suspenders, having been part of the original West End cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Thornton oozes sex appeal as Frank-N-Furter, delivering a performance head and shoulders above the rest of the cast. From beginning to end Thornton commanded the stage with his dry wit and frisky cheekiness which had the audience quick to bow down their feather boas in his honour.
A mention must go to Kristian Lavercombe as Riff Raff – a real hit with die-hard Rocky Horror Show fans. Lavercombe provided a carbon copy of Richard O’ Brien (the original Riff Raff and creator of the show) with some haunting vocals in ‘Over At The Frankenstein Place’.
This is a great piece of musical theatre filled to the brim with audience participation and a raucous atmosphere. If you like viewing shows that are quiet with no heckling then stay away…but if you want a rip-roaring night of fun and fabulousness then come along and join The Rocky Horror Show party!
“It’s just a jump to the left….”
Listing information:
The Rocky Horror Show
Opera House, Quay Street, Manchester
Monday 25th to Saturday 30th March
Mon – Thurs 8pm. Fri & Sat 4.30pm & 8.30pm
Ticket prices: £10-£37.50
Booking details: 0844 871 3018 or www.atgtickets.com/manchester (booking fee applies)
