Dr Frank N Furter

''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple getting caught in a storm and coming to the home of a mad transvestite scientist, Dr Frank-N-Furter, unveiling his new creation, Rocky, a sort of Frankenstein-style monster in the form of an artificially made, fully grown, physically perfect muscle man complete "with blond hair and a tan".

The show was produced and directed by Jim Sharman. The original London production of the musical was premièred at the Royal Court Theatre (Upstairs) on 19 June 1973 (after two previews on 16 and 18 June 1973). It later moved to several other locations in London and closed on 13 September 1980. The show ran for a total of 2,960 performances and won the 1973 ''Evening Standard'' Theatre Award for Best Musical. Songs in the musical include "Time Warp" (co-written by O'Brien and Richard Hartley), while the costumes were designed by Sue Blane. Its 1974 debut in the US in Los Angeles had a successful nine-month run, but its 1975 Broadway debut at the Belasco Theatre lasted only three previews and forty-five showings, despite earning one Tony nomination and three Drama Desk nominations. Various international productions have since spanned across six continents as well as West End and Broadway revivals and eight UK tours. Actor Tim Curry, who originated the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the original London production, became particularly associated with the musical.

The musical was adapted into the 1975 film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'', starring O'Brien as Riff Raff, with Curry also reprising his role; the film has the longest-running release in film history. In 2016, it was adapted into the television film '' The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again''. The musical was ranked eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals". ''The Rocky Horror Show'' was one of eight UK musicals featured on Royal Mail stamps, issued in February 2011.

Beyond its cult status, ''The Rocky Horror Show'' is also widely said to have been an influence on countercultural and sexual liberation movements that followed on from the 1960s. It was one of the first popular musicals to depict fluid sexuality during a time of division between generations and a lack of sexual difference acceptance. Like the film adaptation, the musical is noted for a long-running tradition of audience participation through call-back lines and attending dressed up as characters from the show.

History

As an out-of-work actor in London in the early 1970s, Richard O'Brien wrote ''The Rocky Horror Show'' to keep himself busy on winter evenings. Since his youth, he had developed a passion for science fiction and B horror movies; he wanted to combine elements of the unintentional humour of B horror movies, portentous dialogue of schlock-horror, Steve Reeves muscle films, and fifties rock and roll into ''The Rocky Horror Show''. A major theme running throughout the musical is transvestism, which according to O'Brien was not originally meant to be as prominent as it ended up being. He conceived and wrote the play set against the backdrop of the glam era that had manifested itself throughout British popular culture in the early 1970s; he has stated "glam rock allowed me to be myself more", allowing his concept to come into being.

O'Brien took a small amount of his unfinished ''Rocky Horror'' to Australian director Jim Sharman, who decided he wanted to direct it at the small experimental space Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square, Chelsea, London, which was used as a project space for new work. Sharman had received considerable local acclaim as the director of the original Australian productions of '' Hair'' and '' Jesus Christ Superstar''. He went to London to direct the first British stage production of ''Superstar'', during which he met O'Brien, who had played King Herod for just one performance. Sharman brought fellow Australians Nell Campbell and long-time scenic designer partner Brian Thomson into the production.

Star Tim Curry recalled his first encounter with the script:

The original creative team was then rounded out by costume designer Sue Blane and musical director Richard Hartley, although Pete Moss would later take over as musical director. Michael White was also brought in to produce ''Rocky Horror''. As the musical went into rehearsal, the working title for it became ''They Came from Denton High'', but it was changed just before previews at the suggestion of Sharman to ''The Rocky Horror Show''.

After two previews, the show was premièred—without an interval—at the Royal Court's 63-seat Theatre Upstairs on 19 June 1973, and ran until 20 July 1973. The cast included Tim Curry, who had decided that Dr Frank-N-Furter should not just be a queen, he should speak like the Queen of the United Kingdom, extravagantly posh, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell (billed as Little Nell), Julie Covington, and O'Brien, with each performing in an all-out camp style. It was a creative triumph and a critical and commercial success. A reviewer at the premiere for ''The Guardian'' wrote "it achieves the rare feat of being witty and erotic at the same time", and Curry gives a "garishly Bowiesque performance as the ambisextrous doctor." Record producer Jonathan King saw it on the second night and signed the cast to make the original cast recording over a long weekend—''The Rocky Horror Show Original London Cast''—that was rushed out on his UK Records label. King was involved heavily in the initial promotion for the show, as well as being the minority backer of it financially with White having a majority share.

The impact at the Royal Court Upstairs allowed the production be transferred to the 230-seat Chelsea Classic Cinema nearby on Kings Road from 14 August 1973 to 20 October 1973. ''Rocky Horror'' found a quasi-permanent home at the 500-seat King's Road Theatre—another cinema house, even further down Kings Road—from 3 November 1973. The show received critical praise and won the 1973 ''Evening Standard'' Award for Best Musical. When Richard O'Brien played Riff Raff in the original Broadway production of ''Rocky Horror'' in 1975 Robert Longden took over the role in London.

The show's run at the King's Road Theatre ended on 31 March 1979; it then transferred to the Comedy Theatre (now the Harold Pinter Theatre) to begin performances on 6 April 1979. At the new venue, ''Rocky Horror'' required some restaging, for the Comedy was the first theatre at which the musical had played that possessed a traditional proscenium arch stage. For the first time, the musical was also broken into two acts with an interval. It finished its run there on 13 September 1980.

Synopsis

Act I

The Usherette, sometimes referred to as "Trixie", who works in a derelict cinema, introduces tonight's "film" in a song (" Science Fiction/Double Feature"), with masked Phantoms providing the backing vocals.

After attending the wedding of his best friend since high school (Ralph Hapschatt, now married to Janet Weiss' friend Betty Munroe), Brad Majors confesses his love to Janet Weiss (" Dammit Janet") and the two become engaged. The Narrator appears and explains that Brad and Janet are leaving Denton to visit Dr Everett Scott, their former science tutor, while driving into a rainstorm. During the trip, their car has a flat tire and they are forced to walk through the rain to seek a telephone in an old castle (" Over at the Frankenstein Place").

The Narrator explains that Brad and Janet are feeling "apprehensive and uneasy", but must accept any help that they are offered. As Brad and Janet arrive, Riff Raff, the hunchbacked handyman and live-in butler, greets them, and his sister Magenta, the maid, appears. Riff Raff, Magenta and Columbia (a groupie) speak briefly of an unlucky delivery boy named Eddie who fell victim to unfortunate circumstances because he botched a delivery, before performing the show's signature dance number ("Time Warp"). Brad and Janet try to leave at this point, but are stopped when Dr Frank-N-Furter, a bisexual, cross-dressing mad scientist, arrives. He introduces himself as "a sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania" and invites Brad and Janet up to his laboratory (" Sweet Transvestite"). As he goes up, Brad and Janet are stripped to their underwear to dry off.

Brad and Janet enter the laboratory, where Frank-N-Furter gives them laboratory coats to wear. Frank announces that he has discovered the secret to life itself. He unveils his creation, a blond, well-built man named Rocky, who is brought to life. As his bandages are removed, Rocky worries about his predicament ("The Sword of Damocles"). Frank admires Rocky's physique by singing a tribute to muscle builders ("Charles Atlas Song"/"I Can Make You a Man"). A Coca-Cola freezer in the laboratory opens to reveal Frank and Columbia's former lover, Eddie, a biker covered in surgical scars, who has been rendered a (slightly more) brain-damaged zombie, intent on rescuing Columbia, and escaping the castle while successfully causing large amounts of damage to Frank's laboratory, exhibiting signs of partially returning memory of the way he lived life in the past (" Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul"). Frank panics, forces Eddie back into the freezer and hacks him to death (his weapon of choice typically being a pick axe or chainsaw). Frank tells Rocky — the recipient of the other half of Eddie's brain — that he prefers him over Eddie ("Charles Atlas Song (Reprise)"/"I Can Make You a Man (Reprise)"), as although he and Eddie had a strong mental relationship, he had no muscle, and therefore, had to go. Brad and Janet, somewhat flustered after witnessing the re-murdering of Eddie, are then ushered to separate bedrooms for the night.

Act II

The Narrator foreshadows that Brad and Janet may be unsafe. Janet enjoys Brad's advances in her darkened bedroom before realizing that it is Frank in disguise. He convinces Janet that pleasure is no crime, and after she asks him to promise not to tell Brad, they resume their lovemaking. The scene changes to Brad's darkened bedroom, where Brad makes love to Janet before discovering that, once again, it is Frank in disguise. Frank promises not to tell Janet, but as they resume, Riff Raff interrupts on the television monitor with the message that Rocky has escaped. Janet searches for Brad in the laboratory and discovers Rocky hiding there. Checking the television monitor, Janet sees Brad in bed with Frank and seduces Rocky (" Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me"). While searching the television monitor for Rocky, the rest of the group discovers that Janet has slept with him and Brad becomes hurt and angry ("Once in a While"). Riff Raff then notifies Frank that there is another visitor entering the castle: Dr. Everett Scott, the paraplegic science tutor whom Brad and Janet intended to visit.

Dr Scott in a wheelchair is wheeled into the laboratory by Columbia, where Frank accuses him and Brad of trying to investigate his castle, knowing that Dr Scott has connections with the FBI. Dr Scott assures him that he has come in search of Eddie, who is revealed to be his nephew ("Eddie's Teddy"). Frank displays Eddie's corpse to the group and then uses a device to electronically restrain the three visitors and a rebellious Rocky to the floor ("Planet Schmanet Janet"); the inhabitants of the castle are revealed to be space aliens led by Frank, who abandoned their original mission in order to engage in kinky sex with Earthlings and work on Rocky. Magenta insists that they return to their home planet now that they have been found out; Frank refuses and, instead, declares his intentions to put on a "floor show".

Under Frank's influence, Columbia, Rocky, Brad, and Janet perform song and dance routines while clad in lingerie ( "Rose Tint My World (Floor Show)"). After, Frank entices them to lose all inhibition and give in to their natural carnal instincts, resulting in everyone beginning to engage in orgiastic sex ("Don't Dream It – Be It") before Frank leads them into the rousing concluding number of the floor show ("Wild and Untamed Thing"). The show comes to an abrupt end when Riff Raff and Magenta enter, wearing spacesuits and carrying ray guns. Riff Raff declares that he is usurping Frank's authority and taking them all back to their home planet ("Transit Beam"). Frank makes a final plea for sympathy from Riff Raff, trying to make him understand his desire to spend the rest of his life having sex with Earthlings (" I'm Going Home"). Riff Raff is unmoved and guns down Columbia, Frank, and Rocky before ordering Brad, Janet, and Dr. Scott to leave.

As the trio evacuates the castle, Riff Raff and Magenta express their excitement to return to their world and do the "Time Warp" again with their fellow Transylvanians ("Spaceship"). Brad and Janet watch as the castle blasts off into outer space, confused about the implications of their sexual escapades ("Super Heroes"). To conclude his tale, the Narrator says "and crawling on the planet's face, insects called the human race, lost in time, and lost in space – and meaning." As the show ends, The Usherette returns to recount the night's events ("Science Fiction/Double Feature (Reprise)").

*In the original London and Los Angeles productions, "Sweet Transvestite" came before "Time Warp". This was changed for the film version and was subsequently updated for the stage version when O'Brien revised the script for the 1990 West End revival.
*"Charles Atlas Song" was replaced by a reworked version of the song, "I Can Make You a Man", for the film version. O'Brien's revision of the script in 1990 featured a hybrid of the two songs under the title "I Can Make You a Man", in the 1999 revised script this song was replaced by the film version, which continues to be used in all major productions. The reprise remains unchanged except for the title.

Other productions

Original Los Angeles production (American premiere)

Lou Adler had made millions with risky ventures such as Monterey Pop. His record label, Ode Records was becoming known for harvesting experimental talent. In the late winter of 1973, Adler was in London and attended a performance of the show with Britt Ekland. Acting on impulse and seeing a hit, he met backstage with producers and within 36 hours had secured the American theatrical rights.

The show premiered at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles on 24 March 1974, running for nine months. The cast was all new except for Tim Curry. The show played to a full house and a deal was made with 20th Century Fox for a film. Fox executive Gordon Stulberg saw the show at the Roxy and agreed to invest $1 million in the film project. Adler's attempt to turn his club into a playhouse was successful. The singer Meat Loaf remembers different celebrities who would come to the show, resulting in him meeting Elvis Presley at a performance. Future U.S. Senator Al Franken was a young lighting apprentice brought in by Sid Strong. He recalls Adler had the show mounted by producer Brian Avnet and that both Curry and O'Brien were brought in from the UK.

Original Sydney production (Australian premiere)

Harry M. Miller produced the original Sydney production of Rocky Horror, which opened on 19 April 1974 at the New Arts Cinema (formerly The Astor, later The Valhalla and now an office building) in Glebe. It starred Reg Livermore as Frank-N-Furter, Jane Harders as Janet Weiss, Kate Fitzpatrick as Usherette and Magenta, Arthur Dignam as Narrator, Sal Sharah as Riff-Raff, John Paramor as Brad Majors, Graham Matters as Rocky, Maureen Elkner as Columbia, David Cameron as Eddie and Dr. Scott with Bob Hudson and Piero Von Arnam and Julie McGregor.

Original Melbourne/Adelaide production

After eighteen-month run in Sydney, Harry M. Miller's production moved to Melbourne, with Max Phipps taking over the star role. It opened at the Regent Palace Theatre on 24 October 1975 and ran through 19 months and 458 performances, finally closing on 28 May 1977.

The Melbourne production included Max Phipps - Frank-N-Furter; Gregory Apps - Brad (later Stephen Clark); Paula Maxwell - Janet (later Shirley-Anne Kear, Diana Greentree); Tommy Dysart - narrator; Sal Sharah - Riff-Raff; Robyn Moase - Magenta (later Joan Brockenshire); Sue Smithers - Columbia (later Shirley-Anne Kear, Joan Millar); Graham Matters - Rocky (later Grant Whiteman, Clive Blackie); Terry Bader - Eddie/Dr Scott (later David Cameron, William Gluth). When Paula Maxwell left, resident stage director, Roland Rocchiccioli, moved Kear (at her request) into the role of Janet, and Joan Miller, who was an understudy, took over from Kear as Columbia.
It was in Melbourne, during the Sword of Damocles number, that Grant Whiteman fell while swinging on ladder and being pursued by Max Phipps. Fortunately, there was a Doctor in the house. Without missing a beat, Rocchiccioli told Clive Blackie to get into the costume: "This is your big chance. You're on!" he said. The show picked up from where Whiteman had fallen and went-on without further hitch. Soon after that Whiteman left, and, to Blackie's surprise, Rocchiccioli put him into the role - without hesitation. He said to him: "You're the understudy. Of course you take over. That's what you're here for!" He proved a very popular Rocky. What he lacked in height he made-up for in muscle.
The show then transferred to Adelaide, where it opened on 12 August 1977 at The Warner Theatre. Max Phipps, Diana Greentree, Joan Millar, Tommy Dysart and Joan Brockenshire went on to reprise their roles from the Melbourne production. Staged by Roland Rocchiccioli, the Adelaide production – which was a transfer of Jim Sharman's original Sydney and Melbourne productions, and adapted for the new theatre, was not a success, and closed after only two months. As Rocchiccioli said on ABC Television in Adelaide, talking with Clive Hale: "It is the same Jim Sharman production as Melbourne. It is Brian Thomson's design, except the set has been altered slightly because this is not a television theatre in the last days of its existence!" Rocchiccioli later said he was astonished that it did not work in Adelaide after playing in Melbourne for the two-years previous. Some weeks the company did ten performances, so great was the demand for tickets. It would have gone on running - possibly for another year - if Max Phipps had not decided to leave. He was exhausted. In the final months Harry M Miller was selling standing-room at the back of the theatre for up to 50-patrons per performance.

After several weeks in Adelaide, Jon Finlayson replaced Max Phipps as Frank-N-Furter. Max had come-in to the production at the last moment, after Darrell Hilton and Rocchiccioli agreed on a parting of the ways, just days before the opening night. Other cast members included Tony Preece as Brad; Keith Reid (who was the Melbourne understudy) as Riff-Raff; Bill Binks as Eddie/Dr. Scott; and Shane Bourne as Rocky. The Adelaide reviews were
savage, and killed the production. Everyone was taken by surprise, including Max Phipps, who was brilliant in the role. Rocchiccioli said at the time: "It's baffling. Nothing has changed from Melbourne, and it's difficult to know why they hate it so much." It is the only time the Rocky Horror Show has not been critically applauded in Australia.

Original New York City (Broadway) production

In early 1975, Adler closed the show at the Roxy Theatre after a ten-month run. This gave actors time to return to the UK for the film version's shooting. Adler planned to open on Broadway just before the film's release. It was anticipated that this production would be as successful as '' Jesus Christ Superstar'' and serve as a public vehicle for the film version. It was unsuccessful and closed after 45 performances.

Original San Francisco production

The third U.S. production opened at the Montgomery Playhouse in San Francisco on 3 February 1976 and played 103 performances, closing on 30 May. The San Francisco production was directed by A. Michael Amarino, with musical direction and arrangements by Michael Reno. The production had a new cast and starred David James as Frank. The opening night cast included Roslyn Roseman as Trixie/Usherette/Magenta, Needa Greene as Janet, Robert Reynolds as Brad, Richard Gee as the Narrator, Buddy King as Riff Raff, Paula Desmond as Columbia, Bob Dulaney as Rocky, and Emil Borelli as Eddie/Dr Scott, with back-up vocals by Vikki D'Orazi, William J. Tacke, and Kelly St. John.

Second London (West End) production

''The Rocky Horror Show'' transferred to the 820-seat Comedy Theatre on Panton Street in the West End, running from 6 April 1979 until 13 September 1980, closing the play's initial run of 2,960 performances. After occasional productions in the early 1980s, the play was revived for the Theatre Royal, Hanley tour in 1984 and still is performed regularly in the UK.

The Haymarket Production, Leicester

On Wednesday 8 August 1979 The Haymarket Production of ''The Rocky Horror Show'', presented in association with Cameron Mackintosh and Michael White, began a month-long run at the Leicester Haymarket Theatre. After its Haymarket run followed a major national tour to Wolverhampton, Norwich, Leeds, Bristol, Newcastle, Birmingham, Brighton, York, Lincoln, Southsea, Oxford, and ending at Cork, Ireland in December 1979.

The lead part of Frank-N-Furter was played by Daniel Abineri. Others in the cast included Claire Lewis as Magenta/Usherette, Amanda Redman as Janet Weiss, Terence Hillyer as Brad Majors, Nicholas Courtney as Narrator, Brett Forrest as Riff Raff, Dee Robillard as Columbia, Gary Martin as Rocky, Trevor Byfield as Eddie/Dr. Scott, Nicola Blackman, Martyn Boydon, Michael Kirk and Sarah Payne.

Music

;Theatre Upstairs at The Royal Court
* " Science Fiction/Double Feature"
* " Dammit, Janet!"
* " Over at the Frankenstein Place"
* " Sweet Transvestite"
* "The Time Warp"
* "The Sword of Damocles"
* "I Can Make You a Man"
* " What Ever Happened to Saturday Night?"
* " Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me"
* "Once in a While"
* "Eddie's Teddy"
* "Planet, Schmanet, Janet"
* " Rose Tint My World/Don't Dream It, Be It/Wild and Untamed Thing"
* " I'm Going Home"
* "Superheroes"
* "Science Fiction/Double Feature (Reprise)"
_{At the Classic Cinema and King's Road Theatre (Formerly the Essoldo Cinema), the following songs were added: "I Can Make You a Man", a reprise of the same and "Eddie's Teddy".}

;Broadway
* "Science Fiction" - Trixie
* "Damn-it Janet" - Brad and Janet
* "Over at the Frankenstein Place" - Janet, Brad, and Riff Raff
* "Sweet Transvestite" - Frank and Company
* "Time Warp" - Magenta, Columbia, Riff-Raff, and the Narrator
* "The Sword of Damocles" - Rocky
* "Charles Atlas Song" - Frank
* "Hot Patootie" - Eddie
* "Charles Atlas Song (Reprise)" - Frank
* "Eddie's Teddy" - Dr. Scott, Columbia, and Company
* "Once in a While" - Brad
* "Planet Schmanet Janet" - Frank
* "Rose Tint My World" - Company
* "Superheroes" - Company
* "Science Fiction (Reprise)" - Trixie
* "Sweet Transvestite (Reprise)" - Company
* "Time Warp (Reprise)" - Company

National and international productions

UK productions

''The Rocky Horror Show'' has toured the United Kingdom regularly since the 1990–91 West End revival at the Piccadilly Theatre in productions produced by Richard O'Brien's and Howard Panter's ''Rocky Horror Company''. Notable celebrities have been cast including Daniel Abineri, Peter Blake, Tim McInnerny, Anthony Head, Robin Cousins, Jason Donovan and Jonathan Wilkes as Frank-N-Furter, Gina Bellman as Janet Weiss, Edward Tudor-Pole as Riff Raff and TV's Craig Ferguson and Adrian Edmonson as Brad Majors.

''Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show'' completed its 2006–2007 tour on 14 July 2007 in Woking, Surrey after touring for almost eighteen months. The tour was directed by Christopher Luscombe and featured David Bedella as Frank. The 2006 tour cast, accompanied by Roger Lloyd-Pack as the Narrator and author O'Brien, performed " The Time Warp" live in Trafalgar Square on 22 July 2006 as part of ''The Big Dance'' event and was broadcast on BBC1's ''Dancing in the Street''. In 2008 David Bedella released his first album ''The Dean St. Sessions'', produced by Nathan Amzi, which included a duet with O'Brien singing "I'm Going Home" as a bonus video.

In March 2009, the show returned with a new UK tour starting in the autumn. With Christopher Luscombe returning as the director, the tour was a revival of the 2006–2007 production with some adjustments to the direction, lighting, choreography, costumes and musical arrangements. The tour opened on 17 September 2009 at the New Wimbledon Theatre and closed on 4 December 2010 at the newly opened Aylesbury Waterside Theatre.

The first leg of the tour ran from September 2009 to July 2010 with a short break over the Christmas period. David Bedella reprised his role as Frank. The second leg of the tour began on 1 September 2010 at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking with several changes to the cast. During the UK tour's summer break director Christopher Luscombe and the show's creative team recreated the UK production in Seoul, South Korea with a new cast of American, Australian and New Zealander actors and local celebrities as the Narrator. The production played from August until October 2010 before a five-week New Zealand tour in November and December with Richard O'Brien making a rare appearance as the Narrator.

2006 Charity concert

On 3 May 2006, a benefit concert version of the musical to raise money for Amnesty International. Entitled ''The Rocky Horror Tribute Show'', it was staged at the Royal Court Theatre (where the show had its world premiere in 1973) as a one night only event hosted by Richard O'Brien. The cast featured Anthony Head and Michael Ball sharing the role of Frank-N-Furter, Ade Edmondson and Stephen Gately sharing the role of Brad, Joanne Farrell and Sophie Lawrence sharing the role of Janet, Kraig Thornber as Riff Raff, Toyah Willcox as Magenta, Amy Rosefield as Columbia, Gary Amers as Rocky Horror, Ben Richards as Eddie, Julian Littman as Dr. Scott, and original cast member Patricia Quinn as The Usherette. Christopher Biggins, Rayner Bourton, Robin Cousins, Steve Pemberton, Tony Slattery, Jamie Theakston and O'Brien served as the show's narrators, introducing each musical number. The concert also featured guest appearances from the original Columbia Nell Campbell, and Kimi Wong, O'Brien's first wife and cast member from the 1975 film adaptation of the musical.

The concert was later released on DVD by Kultur International Films in October 2008.

2012–13 UK tour

In December 2012, a new production of ''The Rocky Horror Show'' began a year-long UK tour to celebrate the show's 40th anniversary.

Christopher Luscombe has returned to direct the production, which stars Oliver Thornton as Frank-N-Furter, Ben Forster (winner of ITV1 series ''Superstar'') as Brad Majors until February 2013, Roxanne Pallett (of ''Emmerdale'') as Janet Weiss until May 2013 and Rhydian Roberts (of ''The X Factor'') as Rocky until March 2013. Unlike recent productions, the tour will not feature interchanging guest Narrators with Philip Franks taking on the role.

The show also features Kristian Lavercombe returning to the role of Riff Raff, Abigail Jaye as Magenta/Usherette, Ceris Hine reprising the role of Columbia, Joel Montague as Eddie/Dr Scott, and Maria Coyne, Christos Dante, David Gale, and Rachel Grundy as the Phantoms, with Andrew Ahern as the swing.

Live broadcast/2015–16 UK tour

In 2015, the tour was staged at the London Playhouse Theatre and also broadcast in many cinemas across Europe, as well as on the BBC
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