Ben Westhead Archives - North West End UK

10Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Rocky Horror Show – Hull New Theatre

When the Rocky Horror Show comes to town, you can guarantee fishnet stockings, suspenders, bustiers, saucy maids’ costumes et al will be much in evidence. And that’s just in the audience. So, it was on Monday night when theatregoers pulled out all the stops to show their support for this iconic production, which comes to Hull New Theatre as part of a world tour. It was great fun, pre curtain up, checking out the get-ups of the brave souls who had dared - often, to bare - with all shapes, sizes and genders joining in the fun. They are an essential part of proceedings. This legendary rock ’n’ roll musical has been wowing audiences for 50 years and doesn’t look like retiring any time soon. The well-known story tells of innocent college kids, Brad (Reece Budín) and his fiancée, ...

26Sep

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Rocky Horror Show – Bradford Alhambra

Look, after 50 years of camp genius this show is bomb proof from reviews so all you can do is judge how good the latest production is. The good news is that this is a really solid version of Richard O’Brien’s bonkers tribute to the schlocky 1950’s horror B-movies he watched as a kid in his native New Zealand, complete with some delicious pastiches of rock and roll songs from that period. Unless you have been living in a cave since the show premiered in 1973 - or have never been to a musical - then you don’t need a synopsis of what happens, and to be honest none of it makes sense anyway. What this show does need is two things – a great narrator and a crowd that is up for it as unlike others shows audience participation is not only encouraged but expected. Well, one out of two ai...

The Rocky Horror Show – Richmond Theatre

24May

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

The Rocky Horror Show – Richmond Theatre

A spectacular, innovative, and fun rock and roll musical, Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show is a guaranteed party and enjoyable evening for all. The popular and timeless classic songs are of course featured, including Sweet Transvestite, Damn It Janet, and the entertaining, wacky, and fabulous Time Warp, that is sure to leave audiences feeling overwhelming elation. Before the show begins, you can feel the electric atmosphere in the building. This cult classic, first premiered in 1973, has a huge following of all ages, with many in the audience dressed in cosplay and in the spirit of the characters in the show. There was huge anticipation before the show began, and as soon as the instrumental of Time Warp began, the audience was captivated. The show opened with the character of Bett...

The Rocky Horror Show – Liverpool Empire

17May

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

The Rocky Horror Show – Liverpool Empire

Well, what a hoot! From start to finish this show was an absolute rollercoaster of mayhem, laughter and double-entendres! The Rocky Horror Show – more of a phenomenon now since it first braced the theatres nearly 50 years ago (since 1973)- has become the biggest cult musical of all time. Richard 0’Brien’s wacky story of how two squeaky clean college kids – Brad and his fiancée Janet, when by a twist of fate, find their way into a creepy mansion whilst on their way to visit their former college professor, meet the charismatic Dr Frank ’n’ Furter and change their lives forever, has taken on a new life of its own. I have seen the show a couple of times and thought it’s time I educated my 17-year-old son into the world of “The Mind Warp” and to the craziness that is the Rocky Horror Show. A...

18Jan

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

The Rocky Horror Show – Palace Theatre

Since the original show was spawned in 1973 the ‘Rocky Horror Show’ has gained generations of theatregoers who have been seduced by its mix of horror-comedy and science-fiction script, backed with some iconic songs such as ‘The Time Warp’ whilst dressed up in glittering corsets and eye-catching lingerie has become an institution that encourages glamour, silliness and having a damn good time. It is hard to believe that this show is nearly half a century old as it has absolutely no signs of ageing as it continues to entice the old and the youth of today through its doors with its bright, bold and extremely risqué script that bursts into life from the beginning through to the finale. I remember my first viewing as a teenager in the 1980’s with my mum and grandmother and I was mortified ...

The Rocky Horror Show – Blackpool Winter Gardens

7Dec

By Coral MourantNo Comments

North West

The Rocky Horror Show – Blackpool Winter Gardens

The theatre is packed full of eager visitors in corsets and gold hats, ready for the madness to ensue. The Rocky Horror Show has its fanbase hooked, and now, I finally understand why. The cult-classic hit takes hints of sci-fi, gothic horror and rock n' roll to create an utterly fantastical show. With such a reputation, the stage production has a lot to live up to. An all-American couple stumble upon a castle inhabited by a multitude of weird and wild characters. Their innocence is lost as they succumb to the allure of the sensual scientist, Frank N Furter, and the characters sing and dance their way through a naughty, frivolous romp. In this production, the high heels of Frank N Furter are filled by Stephen Webb (Jersey Boys), who struts onto the stage with sass and a smirk. Webb...

The Rocky Horror Show – Alexandra Birmingham

29Sep

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

The Rocky Horror Show – Alexandra Birmingham

Let the Party and the Sounds Rock On! With all vim, vigour and verve of a lady half her age “The Rocky Horror Show” rocks up horrifically at the Alexandra Theatre and, with a well aimed stiletto, crashes through the stage door and struts her sassy chassis before the goggle-eyed, costume-clad, schlock-worshipping clan of the Rocky fans like the mothership returning home laden with every wicked vice and indecent indulgence your little earthling mind could dream of. Since it slithered from Richard O’Brien’s unfettered imagination somewhere back in the early seventies “Rocky” has evolved, expanded, regenerated and reinvented itself time and time again like an indestructible life form from those beloved 50’s movies it seeks to parody and continues to prove itself unabashedly brash, unasha...

25Aug

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Rocky Horror Show – Opera House

If ever a show epitomised how happy people are to be back in theatres, it’s this one. You can’t move for corsets, sequins and high heels. And that’s just the men. For those unfamiliar with the nature of the show, perhaps having no more than a vague recollection of the 1975 film, it’s like being taken on a joyride on a high-powered motorbike and has an atmosphere more akin to a rock gig than a theatre show. The cheering and enthusiastic audience participation is in full throttle from the moment the strains of ‘Science Fiction Double Feature’ start and the curtain twitches open. It’s a fantastic atmosphere for our cast to bounce off, which they do with gusto. Philip Franks, in a role a billion miles away from his stuffy Darling Bud of May character, is outstanding as the Narrator, g...