Rocky Horror Show: Iconic and outrageous musical returns to Northampton's Royal & Derngate theatre

Get your fishnets on and cue up The Time Warp! Legendary rock ‘n’ roll musical The Rocky Horror Show returns to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate next month as part of a sell-out worldwide tour.

Actor, presenter and winner of Strictly Come Dancing Ore Oduba has been delighting audiences and receiving rave reviews as Brad Majors, in Richard O’Brien’s outrageous musical extravaganza.

Ore said: “I’m SO excited to be extending my stay with our amazing Rocky family.

"Truth is, when you know how it feels to wear a corset and heels it’s very hard to take them off — at least it is in my case!

"It’s been a wild ride so far, the audiences have been INCREDIBLE and I can’t wait to Time Warp around even more corners of the country.”

Alongside Ore as Frank’n’Furter is West End star Stephen Webb (Jersey Boys / Legally Blonde), with actor Philip Franks (The Darling Buds of May) as The Narrator. They are joined by fan favourite Haley Flaherty (Mamma Mia / Chicago) as Janet.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, the smash hit show features all of the famous musical numbers which have made The Rocky Horror Show such a huge hit for over four decades, including Sweet Transvestite, Science Fiction/Double Feature, Dammit Janet and, of course, the timeless floor-filler, The Time-Warp.

The Rocky Horror Show is a guaranteed party, which famously combines science-fiction, horror, comedy and music while encouraging audience participation — including, of course, the most outrageous fancy dress.

It takes to the Derngate stage from Monday July 4 to Saturday July 9 with evening performances at 8pm and matinees at 5pm on Friday and Saturday. Tickets priced from £11 can be booked by calling the box office on 01604 624811 or click www.royalandderngate.co.uk online.

But be warned: The Rocky Horror Show is full of fun, frolics, frocks and frivolity but it also has rude parts! Recommended for ages 12-plus.

■ The Rocky Horror Show history

Since it first opened in London in June 1973, Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show has become the world’s favourite rock ‘n roll musical, having been performed worldwide for over 45 years in more than 30 countries and translated into 20 languages.

The Rocky Horror Show first began life before an audience of just 63 people in the Royal Court’s Theatre Upstairs. It was an immediate success and transferred to the Chelsea Classic Cinema, before going on to run at the Kings Road Theatre, 1973-79 and the Comedy Theatre in the West End, 1979-80.

In 1975 it was transformed into a film called The Rocky Horror Picture Show which took over $135 million and is still shown in cinemas around the world more than 40 years after its premiere, making it the longest running theatrical release in cinema history.

Stars such as Russell Crowe, Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Jerry Springer, Jason Donovan and Meatloaf have appeared over the past 45 years.

In 2015, as part of a sold-out season at London’s Playhouse Theatre, a special star-studded gala charity performance in aid of Amnesty International was broadcast to over 600 cinemas across the UK and Europe and became the UK’s biggest grossing film.