Sassy, saucy and salacious The Rocky Horror Show successfully returned to the Bristol Hippodrome this week.
A cast of very naughty and not-so-nice transvestites from Transylvania triumphantly descended on the theatre for the return of the 40th anniversary tour which played earlier this year.
And there was no in-between you either loved it or loved it even more.
It was back in 1973 that Richard O'Brien wrote the musical celebrating sci-fi, B-movies and gender bending which is on stage at the Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday, August 24.
Since the 70s it has attracted a cult following many of whom were on the St Augustine's Parade pavement patiently waiting for the doors to open on Monday evening.
It was a jaw-dropping moment when one of the two teenaged granddaughters who accompanied me to the opening night was asked for a synopsis of the plot.
Her mouth opened wide but no words came out as shock, horror she was caught in a time-warp!
This was reminiscent of the facial expressions both girls displayed when they viewed the cheeky corsetry, ripped black stockings and nothing much else wore by the trannies parading outside the theatre prior to curtain up.
The Rocky Horror Show depends on a certain open mindedness and sense of humour and it achieved this with abundance. The full frontal costumes were loud, lewd and lovely, the singing was full throttle and the dancing exuberant – and that was only the audience.
At the end of the show no-one was sitting down.
Director and narrator Christopher Luscombe created this new production which is on a 12-month UK tour.
He is brilliant, funny and crushing in his put downs and ad libs a superior stage presence in the face of the good-humoured, quick-witted student hecklers.
Straight-laced, squeaky clean engaged couple Ben Forster (Brad) and Rachel Grundy (Janet) were brilliant and their jiggy, jiggy bedtime romp between satin sheets with West End actor Oliver Thornton as the dark and Gothic lead character Frank ‘n’ Furter was hilarious.
Welsh baritone and X Factor runner-up Rhydian added to the extensive musical range as the blonde and muscular love interest Rocky.
The Rocky Horror Show tells the story of Brad and Janet who meet Dr Frank ’n’ Furter by chance when their car breaks down outside his house.
It is an adventure they’ll never forget, with fun, frolics, frocks and frivolity, bursting with timeless musical classics including Science Fiction/Double Feature and Dammit Janet.

Carol Deacon