Dammit Janet!

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From my viewing position the person sitting in front at the Bristol Hippodrome looked butt naked but it was the low cut of the red silk bustier which gave this illusion.

Behind me someone from Sam FM Bristol was wearing a nifty little laced leather corset, suspenders and ripped black stockings.

And that was the men…

Got it? Of course it is the Rocky Horror Show which attracts a cult adult-only following of students and people old enough to know better.

Street fashion spills into the stalls mirroring what is on stage – every which way and more!

We first saw Rocky Horror at the city theatre three years ago and have waited patiently for it to return so we could dress up and at Monday’s opening night it is exactly what we did.

Three little maids and not a Mikado in sight only vampires, aliens and priggish people wanting to be ‘converted’ or ‘liberated’ depending on your point of view to Trannie Transylvania.

The 2013 show was so good we wondered how this would stack up and we weren’t disappointed.

Engaged couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss get lost on route home from the drive-in movie.

X Factor finalist Diana Vickers is Janet alongside stage stalwart Richard Meek as Brad spend a lot of the show in their underwear to experience many coupling and uncoupling techniques.

Imagine Janet as a young Sandra Dickinson and Brad as a geeky Buddy Holly both saving their sexual awakening for after they have exchanged solemn vows.

But despite their naivety don’t confuse Janet and Brad with children’s fictional characters Janet and John as this musical masterpiece is more Ladyboy than Ladybird.

Bringing it all back is S Club 7 band member Paul Cattermole as a very rock ‘n’ raunchy Eddie and Dr Scott and Norman Pace of Hale & Pace holds it together as the narrator.

Norm made topical references to Angela Merkel and Donald Trump and had a lovely repartee with the quick-witted, badly-behaved glo-stick waving audience thanks to some funny and crude script deviations.

With his Atlas-physique Rocky played by Dominic Andersen is a man-made every muscle works machine who completes an eye-popping airborne workout manoeuvre.

Even Janet wanted to swap Brad for this pump action man.

Much more manly than the Welsh baritone and X Factor runner-up Rhydian from the 2013 production.

The pelmet to the set with its filmstrip reminds me of the War Horse backdrop with a cartoon haunted house.

Costumes are theatrical bizarre with pearl necklaces the obligatory accessory. 

Liam Tamne as Frank-N-Furter reminded me of a more chiseled Bruno Martelli from the 1980s television show Fame with a better toolbox.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, the Rocky Horror Show is a guaranteed party, which famously combines science-fiction, horror, comedy and music and encourages audience participation meaning, of course, getting dressed in their most outrageous fancy dress.

This musical extravaganza features all of its famous musical classics including Science Fiction/Double Feature, Dammit Janet and of course, the timeless floor-filler The Time-Warp with blackboard diagrams to get the movements right-on.

Richard summed it up when he said: “It’s such an honour to be part of the Rocky family.

“The songs are all such classics and the fans are incredible, night after night!”

Many stars, including Russell Crowe, Tim Curry, Jerry Springer and Meatloaf have appeared in The Rocky Horror Show during the past four decades.

The press blurb said: “Ready to thrill you with fun and naughty moments, O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show is the boldest bash of them all.

“Be warned, this show has rude parts!”

One of the best remarks from our kinky quartet was ‘every time you see Rocky Horror it gets better’ and that is from the traumatised teenager who didn’t get it the first time.

The Rocky Horror Show plays Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday, July 23.

Pictured below are some of the Nailsea people we meet outside and we have added a little social media comment.

Carol Deacon