The Rocky Horror Show on tour - Steve Punt, Charlie Condou and Philip Franks star as The Narrator
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
STEVE Punt (pictured), Charlie Condou and Philip Franks will star as The Narrator in the 2015/16 tour of The Rocky Horror Show, which visits New Wimbledon Theatre from February 29 to March 5 and Richmond Theatre from May 2 to May 7, 2016.
The production also stars Diana Vickers, Paul Cattermole, Ben Freeman and Liam Tamne.
Steve Punt has been half of Punt and Dennis for many years and has co-hosted The Now Show on Radio 4 since its inception in 1998. He also presents the university quiz The Third Degree and the light-hearted investigative show Punt PI for Radio 4.
Punt’s TV writing and performing credits include Canned Carrott, The Mary Whitehouse Experience, Punt and Dennis, Mock the Week and Horrible Histories. In 2011, he played Eric Idle in BBC4’s Holy Flying Circus.
Charlie Condou, who will play The Narrator during the tour’s Manchester dates, is best known for playing Marcus Dent in Coronation Street for four years and his successful column ‘The Three of Us’ in The Guardian. His other television credits include Me, You, and The Apocalypse, The Impressionists and Midsomer Murders, while his film work includes Good, Fred Claus and Charlotte Grey.
Condou has also appeared on stage in Next Fall and The Changeling (Southwark Playhouse), Dying for It (Almeida Theatre) and Shopping and F***king (UK Tour).
Philip Franks, who returns to the role after playing The Narrator in the 40th Anniversary Tour of The Rocky Horror Show, takes over as The Narrator from June 2016. On television, Franks is best known for playing Charlie in The Darling Buds of May and Sergeant Craddock in Heartbeat.
His recent work in theatre includes Swanson in Flare Path and Hector in The History Boys tour, while his West End theatre credits include Ivan in Art, Lloyd in Noises Off and Hamlet with the RSC. Franks is also a director, with credits including Nicholas Nickleby (West End), The Comedy of Errors (Regent’s Park) and A Marvellous Year for Plum (Chichester Festival Theatre).
Since its first appearance at the Royal Court Theatre in June 1973, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show has become the world’s favourite Rock ‘N’ Roll musical. It has been performed worldwide for over 40 years in over 30 countries, selling out in Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Austria, and has been translated into more than 20 languages.
Many stars, including Russell Crowe, Tim Curry, Jerry Springer and Meatloaf, have appeared in The Rocky Horror Show over the past four decades.
To celebrate the 40th Anniversary, Director Christopher Luscombe created a stunning new production, which famously combines science-fiction, horror, comedy and music and encourages audience participation.
This critically acclaimed version of the classic show, which tells the story of Brad and his fiancée Janet – two squeaky clean college kids who meet Dr Frank’n’Furter by chance when their car breaks down outside his house – is back by popular demand and embarking on a year-long national adventure.
Described as a musical extravaganza, it features famous musical classics such as Science Fiction/Double Feature, Dammit Janet and of course, The Time-Warp.
The tour begins at the Theatre Royal, Brighton (December 17 to January 2, 2016) before continuing to Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Cardiff, Sunderland, Southampton, Wimbledon, Torquay, Bradford, Edinburgh, Belfast, York, Aylesbury, Nottingham, Richmond, Malvern, Stoke, Sheffield, Woking, Watford, Bristol, Milton Keynes, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
NB: Diana Vickers, Ben Freeman, Paul Cattermole and Liam Tamne will perform through to May 28, 2016.
For online bookings and show times, visit www.atgtickets.com/shows/rocky-horror-show-tickets/.