Rocky Horror Show, UK Tour (2025) Review
Lauren Chia and Connor Carson. Photo by David Freeman
Written by Hollie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Caution: This show contains sexual references, smoke gun and haze machines as well as flashing light effects.
“It’s just a jump to the left, and then a step to the right…” — few lyrics are as instantly recognisable in musical theatre history. This week, the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham comes alive as The Rocky Horror Show plays to a packed audience. Its most iconic number, Time Warp, had the entire crowd on their feet, hands on hips, dancing along in true fashion for this cult classic.
This much-loved musical entices audience members, young and old, from far and wide with their feather boas, leather jackets, and sequin blazers. With references to science fiction as well as horror movies, this show premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in 1973. Since then, the show has welcomed over 35 million theatregoers across the World.
This tour was no different as a cheerful and welcoming atmosphere spilled out onto the forecourt of the concert hall as audience members practiced their dance moves, took photos with each other, and shared memories of watching this classic show years before. In its 52nd year, the popularity of this gory, hilariously funny, and quite frankly crazy production does not seem to be waning, with young audience members viewing the show for the first time as well as veterans of the show viewing it possibly for their 50th time!
The Rocky Horror Show follows a clean-cut couple who, after their car breaks down, stumble upon a mysterious castle known as the ‘Frankenstein Place’. As they search for help, they’re swept into a wild night of outrageous characters, bizarre experiments, and unforgettable musical moments. What starts as a simple stop turns into a thrilling, hilarious, and provocative adventure.
As a first-time viewer of The Rocky Horror Show, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But seeing half the audience dressed as the show's iconic characters gave me a hint that I was in for a night of glitz, outrageous humour, and irresistibly catchy tunes.
Jason Donovan of theatre fame leads the latest cast in their U.K. tour as the creepily vulgar sex obsessed transvestite Frank-N-Furter. He was absolutely terrifying and played the protagonist so well that it was hard to recognise him! Alongside Jason were Connor Carson as Brad and Lauren Chia as Janet, the perfectly cast duo who play two college kids who run into a thunderstorm on the way to visit their tutor Dr. Scott. Brad and Lauren bring both fun and talent into their roles. Connor, as Brad, has a particularly fantastic singing voice, and I look forward to seeing what he decides to do next.
The show does have a plot that, at times, can be difficult to follow unless you are a seasoned follower. There is a lot of heckling as well as audience participation throughout the show, which does add to the confusion as well as the hilarity of the entire experience. Adding to the hilarity and laugh-out-loud moments of the evening is the extremely talented Nathan Caton, who plays the narrator. His quick-witted and ad-hoc jokes relating to Nottingham and the Midlands were the standout of the evening for me, and I couldn’t wait to see what he was going to say next in relation to the call-outs from the audience.
This current touring production features a lot of fresh faces in the fold of this historic musical. This collective delivers a bold energy and new interpretations to the iconic characters, enabling them to feel exciting for a new generation of Rocky Horror lovers.
If you are looking for feathers, frivolity, and a little bit of sparkle, then why not grab your ticket to see this timeless classic this week at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall before it heads out across the U.K and Europe to cities such as Dublin, Barcelona and Leicester before the tour ends at Bristol Hippodrome on the 18th June 2026.
If you're on the lookout for more upcoming shows at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal, there’s plenty to get excited about. Fiddler on the Roof arrives on 19th August 2025, followed by Dear England on 23rd September. Then, from 15th October, Northern Ballet’s Merlin takes to the stage with a magical new run.
★ ★ ★ ★
