Still ROCKY 'n' rolling

Richard O'Brien says Rocky Horror Show fits well in any era, appealing to both the 'theatre' crowd and audiences who just want a great night out

- HEATHER GREENAWAY

FOR half a century The Rocky Horror Show has been whipping theatre audiences into a frenzy and its colourful creator Richard O'Brien hopes its popularity never wanes.

The former Crystal Maze presenter admits he never dreamed a song he wrote for his work's Christmas party about an eccentric transvestite would morph into the world's favourite rock 'n' roll musical and become a cult film.

As the show celebrates its 50th anniversary with a nationwide tour that arrives in Edinburgh next month and Aberdeen in September, Richard revealed why he thinks Rocky Horror's global appeal will always be delightfully stuck in a Time Warp.

Richard, 80, said: "Someone asked me to entertain the Christmas staff party at the EMI Film Studios and so I wrote a song - Science Fiction/Double Feature and with the help of some jokes, I performed it to much laughter and applause.

"In the new year I wondered whether it might serve as a prologue to the germ of an idea that I had for a musical. I shared that thought with Jim Sharman who had directed Jesus Christ Superstar. Jim liked the concept and away we went." The show opened in June 1973 at London's Royal Court Theatre Upstairs and has been performed in 30 countries to suspender and stocking-clad fans.

The musical tells the story of sweethearts Brad and Janet who discover the eerie mansion of Dr Frank-N-Furter - a transvestite scientist - after getting a flat tyre in a storm.

As the night unfolds, their innocence is lost as they party with wild characters including a biker, a creepy butler and Frank's scientific creation Rocky.