The Rocky Horror Show
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Rocky Horror party in Liverpool and Manchester

Olivier Award-winning West End and Broadway actor David Bedella will star as Frank ‘n’ Furter in the touring production of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show when it appears in Liverpool and Manchester this year.

Best known for creating the roles of Satan/Warm Up Man in Jerry Springer - The Opera for which he won Best Musical Actor in 2004, Bedella is taking on the role of the mad scientist for the whole 2009/2010 UK tour.

Bedella has walked the corridors of BBC1’s hospital drama Holby City as doctor Carlos Fashola and starred in numerous touring productions including Jesus Christ Superstar, La Cage Aux Folles, Almost Like Being in Love, Smokey Joe’s Café, West Side Story, and A Chorus Line, for which he received the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

For those unaware, The Rocky Horror Show tells the story of engaged sweethearts Brad and Janet who are forced to seek refuge in a castle full of the maddest, baddest and sexiest group the world has ever seen. The show features songs such as ‘Sweet Transvestite’, ‘Dammit Janet’ and ‘The Time Warp’.

Writer Richard O’Brien had The Rocky Horror Show premiered at the Royal Court Theatre on 19 June 1973. O’Brien starred in the 1975 film adaptation as Riff Raff and most will recognise him as the presenter of the Channel 4’s The Crystal Maze.

O’Brien is set to appear in his forthcoming production of a new pulp fiction detective musical called The Stripper, which he has written alongside Richard Hartley and Carter Brown. He is currently in the casting process for the production, but Bob Carlton has been confirmed as director.

Joining Bedella in the touring production of The Rocky Horror Show is Mark Evans (Brad), Haley Flaherty (Janet), Brian McCann (Riff Raff), Dominic Tribuzio (Rocky) Ceris Hine (Columbia), Kara Lane (Magenta), Nathan Amzi (Eddie/Dr Scott), Stuart Ellis, Marc Leslie, Daniela Valvano, Charlotte Scott and Henry Davis.

During its visit to Liverpool, Brookside actor Michael Starke (Our Day Out - The Musical) will feature as the Narrator.

The show is being directed by Christopher Luscombe, with musical supervision by Simon Beck, choreography by Jenny Arnold, set design by Janet Bird, and Sue Blane is the costume designer.

The Rocky Horror Show first appears at the Liverpool Empire on Monday 9 November until Saturday 14 November. Tickets cost £13-£32.50. Call the box office on 0844 847 2525.

The Rocky Horror Show will then appear at Manchester’s Palace Theatre for a week on 7-12 December this year. Call 0844 847 2275 for more details.

To read the Whatsonstage.com review of the show when it appeared at the Milton Keynes Theatre, click here

- by Michael Hunt

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