Hundreds of Rocky Horror Picture Show fans shed all their inhibitions last night as the 50th-anniversary show opened at HM Theatre.
Richard O’Brien’s cult hit musical returned to the Granite City to rapturous applause.
While the stalls were not full to the brim, you wouldn’t have guessed it from the audience participation – as everyone was on top form.
Dozens of diehard fans filled the seats, and some even came decked in costumes of their favourite characters.
I am a bit of a fangirl of the musical myself and have watched many a production tread the boards at HMT.
And last night was my second-ever opening night.
Rocky Horror Picture Show had Aberdeen audience doing the Time Warp again
Usually, I opt for a weekend ticket (I am going again on Friday night) because that’s when you get the best atmosphere.
And, if I am being honest, the last time I ventured over on the first night of the run it was a bit of a struggle.
There was no audience participation and not a single person on their feet for the Time Warp.
However, yesterday couldn’t have been further from that.
Motherland star Jackie Clune took to the stage as the narrator and had the audience in stitches from the get-go.
She was also every bit the match for those who had come to heckle with her quick wit and excellent knowledge of the local area and the script.
It could almost have been mistaken for an adult panto if you didn’t know any better.
I had taken my mum with me, which was to be her first time watching either the stage show or the movie.
And while she left having enjoyed it she did say she struggled a bit with the diction and found it difficult at times to keep up with the plot.
As a bit of a fan myself, this was something that passed over me, given I know most of the words by heart.
But as time went on, and the cast eased into the performance, she said things became clearer.
All in all, it’s one of these West End shows I find hard to beat. The excellent score, overall hilarity and all-round feel-good factor make it a must-see.
And if that’s not enough, there’s at least two occasions where you can get on your feet, take a jump to the left and do the Time Warp AGAIN.
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